TRAVELLERS directed to a future transit site in Warrington will be faced with a £90-a-week cost to stay on the land which is likely to be fitted with CCTV.

Halton Borough Council (HBC) introduced a camp for unlawful travellers blighting the lives of residents in 2009 – and that location will be used to assist the authorities to determine how Warrington's would operate, if built.

The planning for travellers task group is set to have a shortlist of potential locations drawn up by January.

Council bosses have pointed to HBC's site as a prime example of how such a facility could alleviate the issues at large.

Before 2009, HBC was dealing with around 40 to 50 unauthorised encampments each year but since it has been operating it has dealt with an average of just seven a year.

Last Friday the Warrington Guardian toured the Runcorn site, on Warrington Road, to see how it operates.

The Cheshire and Warrington Traveller Team is confident a site could work in the town but admits there is still a long way to go.

Team manager Dawn Taylor said: "I think a transit site is one of the tools in dealing with unlawful encampments. I don't think it is a panacea.

"Having transit provision gives a council and police the capability to direct a group to move in most cases almost immediately – as an alternative location is being offered.

"If you just look at the business case you can see that it makes sense. Anyone on a transit site would have to contribute payments which would go to the authority.

"You can see that the introduction of the HBC transit site has been a massive success in terms of reducing the number of encampments.

"We are taking a multi-agency approach to ensure we can deliver the best outcome possible.

"I want to get to a point in the long-term where people can book to stay at the transit sites across Cheshire."

It costs travellers £12.65 per night or £88.55 weekly to stay on the land, while a £150 deposit is required, which is given back if there is no damage.

And it has been confirmed prices in Warrington would be the same and will include a yearly increase in line with other rents in the area.

In the first quarter of this year there were 78 unauthorised encampments across Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Warrington and Halton – four more than in the same period last year.

Eighteen unlawful groups set up camp in Warrington in the first quarter compared to 27 last year.

Last month, 13 groups set up camp in the town – six on council land and seven on private land – and took an average of four days to leave the sites.

This was an increase of six from June last year.

PC Shelley Woods, who has been monitoring the situation in the town along with the Cheshire and Warrington Traveller Team, explained the force's role.

She said: "The role of the police within our team is to have the capability – if appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances – to use police-led powers to direct a group to leave the land.

"These powers can only be used in particular circumstances. We also co-ordinate police support in visiting encampments across the county when required and deliver training to officers and staff within the force in relation to Gypsy Roma Traveller issues."