Homeless encampment under carriageway to be cleared

Homeless people who've been living in tents under a dual carriageway in central London are going to be moved

TfL and Westminster City Council were granted a court order to remove the encampment

It's under the A40 and on the Harrow Road Roundabout which the authorities say is not a safe place for people to stay

A Westminster City Council spokesperson said at the time that the local authority was ‘working with TfL to take possession of this site and secure it from further access’. Efforts to clear the encampment took a step forward on Wednesday (March 19) when the court granted Westminster and TfL a possession order. TfL was asked by the LDRS when the tents may be removed, though had not responded to this point at the time of publication.

Local Conservative councillor Melvyn Caplan described the length of time it took to apply for the possession order as ‘scandalous’, adding ‘there is no excuse as to why it has taken so long’. He said: “Many residents that live in my ward adjacent to these tents have been suffering from the huge piles of rubbish and detritus that has been there throughout this time.

“There have been bonfires and unpleasant scenes that people have had to witness as they crossed the road or viewed from their windows of adjoining flats that overlook this area. Residents should not have had to put up with this and equally this is not an appropriate place that anybody should have been living in.”

A spokesperson for TfL said: “No one should be faced with sleeping rough on London’s streets. The A40 Westway is a busy part of the road network that is not a safe place for people to stay and our focus is on the safety and welfare of everyone involved.

“We have been granted a possession order by the court for the encampment under the A40 Westway and at Harrow Road Roundabout, alongside Westminster City Council as the land is jointly owned. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and work with our partner agencies, and Westminster City Council, to ensure the safety and welfare of everyone currently sleeping rough there. This includes continuing to work with outreach partners who can help individuals access the available and appropriate support.”

A Westminster City Council spokesperson said: “It is extremely dangerous to sleep under the Westway and the council remains very concerned about the welfare of people currently sleeping rough there.

“The council and TfL have now been granted a possession order for the site and we will work together to clear the encampment as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will continue to support people sleeping rough at this location to help get them off the street and into safe accommodation.

“The reasons people are living on the street are complex, and those experiencing rough sleeping can present with a range of needs. Westminster City Council invests £7 million in rough sleeper services every year, more than any other council, and our extensive outreach programme means no person should need to sleep on the street.”

A separate encampment was cleared last year on Park Lane next to Hyde Park. This similarly followed a possession order being granted by the court in the August, with the tents removed two months later by TfL.

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