BOLLARDS are being considered in “high risk areas” on Canvey to prevent travellers from getting access to sites.

Businesses lost thousands of pounds and had to hire in private security firms over the weekend after a group of travellers pitched up in Western Esplanade.

The group was moved on after four days, but their arrival hastened calls for action to be taken to prevent them being able to pitch up again.

Now, the council is now looking at an action plan to prevent the travellers from being able to pitch up where they like.

David Marchant, chief executive of Castle Point Council, said: “The council is reviewing the security of its public open spaces and bollards will be installed where there is a higher likelihood of future traveller encampments.

“However, it is extremely difficult to prevent access to public open space.

“While bollards and height barriers have been installed on council-owned land for example at the Labworth car park as a deterrent if travellers are determined to get access they will.

“Of more benefit is to have process in place to remove travellers from council owned land as quickly as possible.

“Castle Point Council together with most councils in Essex has an agreement with the Essex Traveller Unit to arrange for the removal of travellers.

“The arrangement was used last week and worked well.”

Canvey seafront has a long history of having problems with travellers.

In May, a group of travellers set up at a piece of land at the junction of Roscommon Way and Haven Road, Canvey, before moving off a few days later.

They had tried to get into Labworth car park, but were unable to due to the new fencing that had been installed to stop them.

Castle Point councillor Tom Skipp, who lives on the island, said: “These are open spaces and we do need to keep them that way so we need to make sure we get the balance.

“We might end up with miles and miles of bollards.

“They are also not that hard to remove - when the travellers wanted to leave from Western Esplanade they just pulled two off them out so they could get their caravans out.”