City of Westminster (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Transport for London (TfL) to clear homeless encampments under Westminster dual carriageway, citing safety concerns for rough sleepers near Paddington Station.
A court order has been issued to evict a homeless camp under a busy dual highway in Central London.
A possession order has been issued to Westminster City Council and Transport for London (TfL) to evict people residing in tents on the Harrow Road Roundabout and beneath the A40 Westway close to Paddington station.
The encampment is situated in “a busy part of the road network,” according to the transport authority, which shares property ownership with the council.
It also stated that
“it is not a safe place for people to stay and our focus is on the safety and welfare of everyone involved.”
When the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) visited the Westway location in June of last year, they discovered that a large number of the homeless people living there seemed to be applying for asylum.
Through programs like StreetLink, which assist outreach teams in connecting with individuals in need and offering the right kind of care, the public is urged to voice concerns regarding rough sleepers.
Ongoing difficulties in striking a balance between punishment and assistance for vulnerable groups are highlighted by worries that rough sleepers have been successfully “evicted” from places like Paddington Station.
Despite these initiatives, rough sleeping is still a complicated problem, and its prevalence has recently increased throughout London.
Men from the campground allegedly stole drugs in plain sight, pleaded for money, and lit fires to cook meals, according to locals who lived close to the road.
One person told the LDRS:
“Everyone cares about them but what about us? What about living in peace near our home? It’s now getting dark at night, how can we go out? They are vulnerable but we’re also vulnerable…This is Little Venice but it’s like Skid Row in Los Angeles.”
The local government was “working with TfL to take possession of this site and secure it from further access,” according to a Westminster City Council representative at the time. When the court granted Westminster and TfL a possession order on Wednesday, March 19, efforts to evict the encampment advanced.
At the time of publication, TfL had not responded to the LDRS’s question on when the tents could be taken down.
Melvyn Caplan, a local Conservative councillor, called the duration of the possession order application process “scandalous” and stated that “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.”
They 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.
He added that they 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 a range of needs.
Westminster City Council invests £7 million in rough sleeper services every year, more than any other council, and their extensive outreach programme means no person should need to sleep on the street.
Next to Hyde Park on Park Lane, another encampment was dismantled last year. In a similar vein, the tents were taken down by TfL two months after the court issued a possession order in August.
What measures are they taking to ensure safety during encampment clearance?
Before the clearance, TfL and Westminster City Council are interacting with rough sleepers through outreach services. This involves offering assistance and alternatives to homelessness.
Emergency housing is being offered to people who are being forced to leave the campsite. This covers short-term housing options as well as assistance programs to help people find more permanent accommodation.
To find people with particular needs, such mental health or drug use disorders, outreach teams are performing welfare and health checks. This makes it possible to guarantee that the right kind of assistance is provided throughout the clearing procedure.
Instead of just enforcing evictions, there is an emphasis on offering support. This strategy entails collaborating with neighborhood outreach groups and charities to provide resources and assist individuals in obtaining secure homes.