TOUGH security measures are to be introduced to keep travellers from camping in the car parks of Clifton Moor businesses.

For the last six weeks businesses in Auster Road and Lysander Close have had their car parks used as unofficial campsites and have complained they are in a filthy state.

But as some of the caravans moved off yesterday evening, the management company for the businesses pledged to upgrade security to stop the gipsies from returning.

Michael Lewis, of Conrad Ritblatt, the managing agent for the estate, said it hoped to 'cure the problem through preventative measures'.

"We need something fairly extreme to combat what has become an extreme problem ," said Mr Lewis.

"It's vital to stop the car parks being moved on to in the first place and so we are looking at bringing in telescopic barriers.

"These are about 3ft high and made of steel and would block off the access roads overnight and at the weekends.

"The two security guards, who patrol the site and can be contacted by mobile phone, could move them if they were asked to do so by someone working late."

The company would also like to rip up all the existing areas of grassland and plant them with prickly bushes instead but it is uncertain if these options will win planning permission from the City of York Council.

"We manage 110 properties on the estate and so it's important to look at the problem globally," said Mr Lewis.

"It's no good if we just shift the problem elsewhere.

"But we have had similar problems at one of our estates at Stockton-on-Tees and found these methods effective."

Local business people have complained that property has been damaged, items stolen and the streets used as a toilet, with excrement being smeared on the windows during the time the gipsies have been living in the car parks.

They also say they have been subject to abuse and that the camp has put off potential customers and has stopped new businesses from moving into empty units.

But one woman, who was rushing to pack up her caravan with the family dinner on the table, said there were too few camp sites.

"We have not been here before," said the woman, who asked not to be named.

"We would have liked to have gone on the proper site down the road, but there's a waiting list and we couldn't get on.

"I've no idea where we'll go now - my husband's just come home and told me to pack down because we're off.

"But don't worry - I'll be taking the rubbish from the dustbins with me."

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