A GROUP of travellers are still set-up in a railway station car park after making camp there more than a week ago, but could be ousted on Thursday.
Around 20 to 30 caravans flocked to Apperley Bridge Railway Station over the first weekend in October.
They first started to arrive on Friday, October 2, with more turning up on Saturday, October 3.
Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem and Independent Group, Idle and Thackley), Leader of The Liberal Democrat & Independent Group revealed on the Saturday that the relevant authorities had been made aware and were working on the situation.
This included, Bradford Council, police and British Transport Police (BTP).
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which owns the land, said at the start of last week that the station would remain open.
But using the station has proved problematic for some, with the presence of the caravans still there as of Tuesday, October 13.
The Combined Authority itself outlined in its statement last week that spaces were limited and a member of the public who dropped her husband off at the station to catch a train yesterday morning said there was only room for around 20 cars.
Some regular rail users and commuters have even been put off from leaving their vehicles at the station while they spend the day at work.
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, described the situation as a "nightmare".
Her daughter normally parks up at the station and heads to work in Leeds, but she is now being dropped off and picked up by her mum every day.
The mother expressed her outrage at rubbish that has been left in the car park and also said some of the caravans are parked over disabled bays.
Another member of the public questioned whether the travellers were moving in, after claiming some of the caravans had artificial turf arranged around the front steps.
But this all could be solved come Thursday.
A Combined Authority spokesperson said: "We continue to progress legal options with regards to the situation at Apperley Bridge station.
"A court hearing has been set for Thursday afternoon.”
There have been many fierce debates raging on community groups, on social media website, Facebook, over the past week or so relating to the issue.
But there are those that sympathise with the plight of the travellers.
One commenter believes, if travellers did not face so many barriers in trying to buy land, then they would not need to set-up camp in locations such as the railway station car park.
She disagreed with the mess that is often left behind, but feels travellers deserve more respect.
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