A LOCAL politician has spoken out against the actions of a minority of travellers who give the travelling community a bad name.

David Nuttall, the Conservatives' Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Morecambe and Lunesdale said: "Whilst we recognise the different lifestyles people choose for themselves we have to make it clear that people who cause distress and havoc wherever they go are not above the law."

"The residents of Morecambe know as well as anyone the difficulties that are sometimes be caused by travellers. New policies from the Conservatives will give powers to local authorities and the police to tackle the problems posed by the troublesome minority of travellers."

The Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Archie Norman MP said: "It is time to show some common sense and take action against those

people whose actions break the law and negatively affect the public's

perception of the entire travelling community."

The new policies include: a fast track, one-stop legal procedure to streamline evictions, a three month ban preventing travellers returning to a site where there has been an eviction plus any site within a set number of miles of the eviction, withdrawal of income support from travellers subject to eviction orders who refuse to move.

Reforms to make it easier for landowners to gain compensation for damage to property from camps of travellers and removing the presumption in planning policy that vacant land near residential accommodation is suitable for temporary travellers' camps.