THE number of travellers camping on unauthorised sites in North Yorkshire has risen by 77 per cent, new figures have revealed.

Official Whitehall statistics show there have been 62 caravans parked unlawfully across the county this year, compared with 35 caravans on illegal sites in January 2002.

Travellers' representatives in York have called for action to address the problem of unauthorised camping, which has been responsible for rising tensions between some travellers and local residents.

The York Travellers' Trust responded to the figures by issuing a renewed call for an authorised "transient" site in York, as well as more permanent pitches for travellers.

Trust co-ordinator Christine Shepherd said the city needed a site where travellers were free to come and go throughout the year, in addition to the three permanent sites at Osbaldwick, Clifton Moor and James Street. She said such schemes had proved successful elsewhere in the country.

Mrs Shepherd said: "If there has been a 77 per cent increase in North Yorkshire, doesn't that just highlight the fact that we need a transient site in York to get rid of the problem? A transient site would give people somewhere to go, and we would not have all these complaints."

The trust also called for more permanent sites for York's travellers.

Mrs Shepherd said: "There are three official sites in York, but the main problem at those is an overspill of people. There are just too many living on one pitch, because there is nowhere else for them to go.

"The only way to get rid of the problem is to build more permanent sites. It would be cost-effective too. It is costing money to get the police involved in this all the time."

The latest statistics, issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, were calculated from twice-yearly counts by local authorities.

Nationally, the number of caravans parked illegally increased from 2,687 in January 2002 to 4,232 in July this year - up almost 60 per cent.

Last week, a panel of MPs said local authorities should provide caravan sites for travellers to prevent illegal encampments and clashes with local residents.

On Saturday, the Evening Press reported travellers had illegally moved on to a former grain store site, off Water Lane, Clifton. The 19-acre site is up for sale for an estimated £10 million.

Updated: 10:12 Tuesday, November 16, 2004