Councillors Pass Vehicle Dweller Strategy

Bristol City Council’s Homes and Housing Delivery Committee has passed its new strategy concerning lived-in vehicles. 

Current figures estimate the number of lived-in vehicles around the city to be between 600 and 650, with the number of people inhabiting the vehicles thought to be around 800. Around the Downs, over 100 lived-in vehicles are reported to be parked on public roads.

The strategy has been in development for over a year and has involved input from across the Council. Chair of the Public Health and Communities Committee, Cllr Stephen Williams, has been working closely with the Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee to produce the strategy. 

Cllr Caroline Gooch (Liberal Democrat, Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze) said:

“Residents of Henleaze, Westbury Park and other neighbourhoods around the Downs will be pleased that the Council now has a viable and sustainable policy in place. The Downs is precious for the whole of Bristol, and as the lived-in vehicles migrate to meanwhile sites or the vehicle dwellers find new accommodation, the Downs will once again be a place for everyone in Bristol to enjoy.”

Chair of the Council’s Public Health and Communities Committee, Cllr Stephen Williams (Liberal Democrat, Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze), said:

“I have been working on this policy with my fellow committee Chair Cllr Parsons for over a year and I am delighted that it has now been approved. This new approach is a radical departure from the drift of the previous administration that allowed the number of lived-in vehicles on Bristol’s highways to build up to huge levels. We are now clear that living on the highway is not sustainable for the surrounding community and is not good for the people living in the vehicles. 

“As we build up the number of managed pitches on meanwhile sites, I hope that many vehicle dwellers will opt to switch to them for better sanitation and personal security. I also hope that the vehicle dwellers will take up the opportunity to discuss their options for more settled accommodation with our outreach teams.”

Notes to editors:

• Meeting papers, strategy is item 7: ModernGov - bristol.gov.uk