A CARAVAN fire on the Downs last month provoked a debate about the future of the hundreds of van dwellers in Bristol.
About 800 people are thought to live in between 600 and 650 vans and caravans, and the city has the highest number of vehicle dwellers across the country.
The fire, which is thought to have been started deliberately, destroyed a caravan in a row of vehicles along one road on the Downs. Neighbours are growing frustrated with the “eyesores”, with common complaints of litter and toilet waste dumped into bins and drains.
But people living in vehicles say the problems are due to a small minority of van dwellers, and Bristol City Council should install more bins and provide washing facilities. Many residents urged councillors on the housing policy committee on February 14 to take action.
One said: “Last night on Saville Road a caravan was burnt out, so it certainly isn’t safe for these people to live that way. I don’t know why you don’t move these people down to Avonmouth on a disused industrial site, there’s plenty of them down there.
“What’s going on in Bristol is not right. I’ve had caravans for many years. I lived in my caravan for three months when a house sale fell through, and I thoroughly enjoyed it — on proper sites with water, toilet facilities and everything else. Come on, get your act together.”
Another added: “I’m the closest house to van dwellers on Saville Road. Human excrement is in trees and bushes and poured down the drains next to my front door. My four-year-old has inadvertently picked up tampons, drug baggies and seen a lot more, including syringes. Our residential bins are used for human waste, as are the bins on the Downs.
“Last night at about 11pm there was an explosion outside my house while I was trying to get my little girl to bed. Three more gas canisters exploded. The wind was blowing the embers on to my roof. I was fearful for the infant upstairs trying to get to sleep. If this isn’t a wake-up call, then I really don’t know what is.”
Firefighters were called at 11.24pm on February 13, about the caravan on fire on Saville Road. They believe the blaze was started deliberately. Avon and Somerset Police officers also attended the scene, to make sure the surrounding area was safe. The police said they were not aware of anyone being injured, and enquiries are ongoing to establish the cause.
After the council meeting, two vehicle dwellers were walking their dog along the Downs, near the burned out caravan. Holly lives in a van and stays on the Downs “fairly regularly”, while Rick lives in a boat. Both declined to offer their surnames, but gave their views on the debate. They called for more bins to be installed, as well as taps and washing facilities.
Holly, a director of a fashion company, said: “I haven’t witnessed tension between residents and people parked up here. In any group you’ve got a few people who are going to let the side down and leave rubbish around. The people living here want to continue doing it, so they don’t want to cause a fuss or make a problem, and it’s also their homes, so they don’t litter around there.
“With the cost of living and renting in Bristol, some people are here because they have no other option. Some people are here because it’s their heritage. My parents lived on the road, I was brought up like this.
“There should be the right to do this for the people who choose to, but also the resources for the people who are forced into it, so they don’t have to if that’s not what they want. It’s obvious they chose not to put bins on this side of the Downs where people are more likely to park up. If the problem is rubbish, put more bins in. The litter from what I’ve seen here is incredibly minimal.”
Another issue is that people need a proof of a permanent address to use the tips, which many people in vans don’t have.
Rick, a marine engineer, added: “There’s thousands of people who live around here, and there’s five people who get really angry. There’s thousands of people who don’t care and who get on really well and wave as they go past. People need to start talking and sharing gifts.”
The council is now planning to establish service sites for van dwellers, with water, waste disposal and washing machines. These could be set up in supermarket car parks close to a petrol station.
Another plan is to establish a formal “vehicle dweller voices” group, to represent the views of people living in vans to the council. Two meanwhile sites, with toilets and taps, could also be turned into permanent van dwelling places.
Green Councillor Barry Parsons, chair of the housing committee, said: “The council’s approach towards working with vehicle dwellers isn’t any longer sustainable. These proposals have at their core a concern for the wellbeing of vehicle dwellers and neighbouring communities.”
By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service