A petition launched by Slough Conservatives, to be handed to Slough Borough Council, is hoping to protect the town’s open spaces from illegal traveller incursions.

The petition to urges the council to install measures that would prevent travellers from using sites in the town as temporary encampments, as has been seen earlier this year in various locations throughout the town.

On the petition’s change.org page, Slough Conservatives have described their frustration with the growing problem, urging the council to save on resources by finding a permanent solution.

It says: “Over the course of the last 6 months, residents across Slough have faced problems with numerous illegal encampments on public land and open space in the town. They have been faced with dealing with the disruption and mess that comes with these incursions, and time and time again Slough Borough Council has had to use council resources to evict travellers from these incursions – including Little Chapels Way Park in Cippenham and Kedermister Park in Langley.

“This petition calls on the council to act to secure these sites properly to prevent further disruption to residents and cost to precious council resources. This includes the installation of bollards where necessary at both of these sites, and a renewed effort to ensure that all council-owned sites across the town that could be illegally used by travellers are properly secured 365 days at year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day in the right way.”

So far the petition has been signed just 47 times, less than half of the 100 signatures Slough Conservatives are hoping to gain, in the two weeks since it was launched.

Slough Borough Council were approached for comment, but at the time of publishing had not responded.