Homeless encampment of more than 40 people cleared after months of complaints

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

A homeless encampment in London’s famous Park Lane estimated to have been occupied by around 40 people has been removed after months of complaints by residents and businesses.

Transport for London (TfL), which owns the stretch of land by Hyde Park and Marble Arch Underground station, took enforcement action to clear the tents yesterday morning.

A spokesman said: “We applied for a possession order on August 21, and wanted to allow sufficient time for outreach support to take place and to encourage rough sleepers to accept offers of support available to them. 

“While a number of people have since accepted offers of support or have moved from the location, a large encampment remained – so we have taken the decision to take action to gain possession of the site.”

Footage of the growing number of tents circulated on social media in July, with local businesses raising questions as to why neither Westminster council or TfL had successfully moved them on. 

Yesterday morning, the tents had been cleared, with little indicating the encampment had been there in the first place. Some scattered debris and outlines of tents in the grass were all that remained. Personnel from the National Eviction Team (NET) were still in attendance.

A spokesman for Westminster council said personal items which had been cleared are to be kept in storage for four weeks, and that the local authority is in the process of setting up a contact form for people needing to reclaim any possessions.

It is understood the council will work with TfL to improve security of the site in the future, and that a support hub will be provided for those displaced by the clearance. Emergency accommodation will also be made available for those who engage with the council while longer-term solutions are worked on.

A TfL spokesman said: “No one should be faced with sleeping rough on London’s streets. Park Lane is a busy part of the road network that is not a safe place for people to sleep rough and our focus is on the safety and welfare of everyone involved.

“Enforcement has always been our last resort and we are working closely with our partner agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of everyone involved.”