Basildon travellers charge £30 for people to dump rubbish
Shameless travellers pitched up illegally in a park and started charging the public £30 to dump their rubbish on the site.
The outrageous stunt unfolded in in Rushley Park, Basildon when two separate groups of travellers arrived.
Residents became suspicious as a large pile of rubbish - including a sofa, bin bags, trees, clothes and cans - quickly built up at the location which is popular with dog walkers.
Basildon Council splashed out £500 for security guards to stand at the entrance to the site and they were stunned to hear people were bringing their rubbish along to dump it.
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The outrageous stunt unfolded in in Rushley Park, Basildon. Travellers are alleged to have charged people £30 to dump their rubbish at the site
Residents became suspicious as a large pile of rubbish - including a sofa, bin bags, trees, clothes and cans - quickly built up at the location which is popular with dog walkers
One group of travellers left at the end of last week after being served a notice by Essex County Council. However, a small group have remained
Basildon Council splashed out £500 for security guards to stand at the entrance to the site and they were stunned to hear people were bringing their rubbish along to dump it
The pile was so large it appeared to be impossible for the group of 12 travellers to have left it by themselves. Then the dumping scheme emerged
The security guards were told the people living in the caravans on site were charging members of the public and other travellers to dump their waste there.
Local councillor Kevin Blake, said: 'Low and behold the security guards had loads of people turn up who wanted to dump their rubbish throughout the day. The guards turned them away and took their registration numbers.
'Because the remaining travellers couldn't get an income they left soon afterwards. It must have cost us £500 for the security guards, but it has saved us money in the long term.
'They were so successful we paid for them to stay an extra day as well.'
The pile was so large it appeared to be impossible for the group of 12 travellers to have left it by themselves. Then the dumping scheme emerged.
One group of travellers left at the end of last week after being served a notice by Essex County Council. However, a small group have remained.
Local councillor Kevin Blake, said: 'Low and behold the security guards had loads of people turn up who wanted to dump their rubbish throughout the day'
Cllr Blake added: 'Because the remaining travellers couldn't get an income they left soon afterwards. It must have cost us £500 for the security guards, but it has saved us money in the long term'
Mr Blake said action would be taken to stop the travellers returning adding the council was considering erecting bollardsÂ
The latest incursion is is the fourth time travellers have pitched up on the park during the past year
It is not known how much Basildon Council will have to fork out in clean-up costs to get rid of the rubbish
Mr Blake said action would be taken to stop the travellers returning.
'We are looking to put up bollards to stop them from getting in. It will be a pain for us because we also need to get access to the site to cut the grass.
'It will be a one-tonne bollard so it will be hard for them to move.
'We will have to pay for specialist equipment to move it when we need it.'
One frustrated resident said: 'I can't believe the travellers were brazen enough to pocket cash for breaking the law.
'We've had a lot of problems down here with the travellers this summer and it's a shame as it spoils it for the people who love to walk their dogs.Â
Huge piles of rubbish and other discarded material was left behind after the travellers left. It is thought they were accepting money for allowing people to dump their rubbish at the site
The security guards started working at the park on Thursday and remained in place on Friday
Earlier this summer shameless travellers had left 100 tonnes of rubbish near to St Nicholas Church in nearby Laindon
One frustrated resident said: 'I can't believe the travellers were brazen enough to pocket cash for breaking the law.
'They may have been moved on but I bet it won't be long before they pitch up somewhere else and start causing trouble again.'
The latest incursion is is the fourth time travellers have pitched up on the park during the past year.
The security guards started working at the park on Thursday and remained in place on Friday.
Earlier this summer shameless travellers had left 100 tonnes of rubbish near to St Nicholas Church in nearby Laindon with the cost of the clean-up reaching about £6,000 Â
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