Hogarth Roundabout Homeless Men Evicted
TfL carry out operation to clean up the area
A number of homeless men from eastern Europe who had been living in tents near the Hogarth Roundabout have been evicted.
The men, mostly Polish, Lithuanian and Rumanian, had been living in tents on a strip of land opposite Dorchester Grove, alongside the roundabout for several months, and one who had worked as a builder, had erected a sturdy shelter under the flyover. It is believed there were about ten people living there.
The area being cleared up
Transport for London (TfL), who own the land, procured a court injunction to carry out the eviction and notice was served on the group to leave the area. TfL had first to register as owners of the land before it could seek the injunction.
An eviction was carried out by bailiffs employed by TfL last Monday (October 8th) on a small number of men who had refused to leave the area. Police were in attendance in case of any breach of the peace but there were no arrests made.
Workmen took down the shelter and began an operation to clear the area. Fencing has now been put up and bushes are being cleared away. However within days a Rumanian man had returned and rebuilt a shelter.
It is understood that organisations dealing with homeless peple offered accommodation to the members of the group and some accepted. Two others decided to avail of an offer of flights home to Poland.
A small number refused help and left the area. It is understood that some of the men had been employed and lost their jobs. The individual who erected the shelter said he had been made redundant from his job in the building trade and ended up living rough.
One homeless person rebuilt his shelter
A police spokesperson advised local people not to assist by providing materials to rebuild shelters. The spokesperson said it appeared that on the one hand local people were complaining about the men living there, while on the other hand people were giving out building materials.
October 12, 2012