Good afternoon everyone, 

We just wanted to update you around some work that has been done by police, Southampton City Council’s Community Safety Team, Network Rail and SSE to target anti-social behaviour caused by a group of caravan owners in Woolston.

Yesterday (Monday 10 March) police attended the industrial estate on Hazel Road to remove four caravans under Section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. 

A Section 60C order can be implemented when a person and at least one vehicle is residing on land without the consent of the occupier and that there is the belief that they have or caused or are likely to cause significant damage disruption or distress. 

If the recipient of the order returns to the land within 12 months then they are committing an offence and can be arrested, as well as having their vehicles removed by police.

This action comes following a significant number of reports over the past few months from businesses and members of the public regarding anti-social behaviour linked to the vehicles, including drug usage, disruption to local businesses and difficulty for other vehicles to access the area.

Staff at businesses in the area reported intimidating behaviour by those occupying the caravans, making it increasingly difficult to do their jobs safely.

Since this action has been taken, the vehicles have left the site and officers will continue to monitor the situation and deal with those involved robustly should they return.

We have been regularly talking, and listening, to businesses and members of the public in the impacted area and want them to know that we have heard their concerns and taken action.