Travellers invade north London underground station car park: At least eight caravans set up camp on suburban site as the New Year dawns
- The group of travellers descended on car park outside Finchley Central station, on site operated by NCP
- The caravans arrived on Thursday and remain on the Transport for London land this evening
- A resident said it may be same group who occupied retail park two miles away in Friern Barnet a few days ago
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A group of travellers have set up camp in a London Underground station car park.
Images taken this afternoon show at least eight caravans outside Finchley Central station, in north London, on a the Transport for London site, which is run by private car park operator NCP. The group arrived there on Thursday.
A spokeswoman for TfL told MailOnline: ‘London Underground control centre have confirmed that the travellers arrived at the car park at Finchley Central station yesterday.
‘The British Transport Police were called and they issued the group with a Section 61 order today, which requires all unlawful occupants to remove themselves from the land.’
One local resident said the travellers could be the same group who occupied a retail park two miles down the road in Friern Barnet several days ago.
A group of travellers have set up camp in a London Underground station car park. Images taken this afternoon show at least eight caravans outside Finchley Central station, in north London, on a site run by private car park operator NCP. It is not known when they arrived
One local resident told MailOnline there has been no police presence at the Transport for London site today, and that the caravans remain there this evening
The resident said the travellers could be the same group who occupied a retail park two miles down the road in Friern Barnet several days ago
The site is one of a number of Underground station car parks which have been earmarked for development. Proposals put forward by TfL, through London Mayor Sadiq Khan, would see a tower block development with potentially more than 600 dwellings at Finchley Central, on Regents Park Road
A similar-sized group also moved on from nearby Hampstead Heath two weeks ago.
It comes as coronavirus guidelines prevent the eviction of travellers in order to stop the virus from spreading.
Under the Government’s Covid-19 guidance, councils are being asked to allow traveller sites to stay on council-owned land, to enable them to access vital healthcare during lockdown – provided that they adhere to the law.
The site is one of a number of Underground station car parks which have been earmarked for development.
Proposals put forward by TfL, through London Mayor Sadiq Khan, would see a tower block development with potentially more than 600 dwellings at Finchley Central, on Regents Park Road.
The law further states that when travellers arrive on private land, it is the landowner’s responsibility to remove them – and the local authorities and police can only be used when certain conditions exist – after a court order is obtained.
MailOnline has contacted Barnet Council and NCP for comment.