Rough sleepers evicted from a Park Lane encampment have relocated to locations on Oxford Street, including outside John Lewis and by M&S. Westminster City Council believes some were among those removed by Transport for London (TfL) earlier this summer and says rough sleeping teams engage with people seven days a week. When individuals are prepared to engage, officers can offer hostel accommodation and help with addiction and mental health. TfL obtained possession orders and dismantled encampments, spending nearly £37,000 on court fees, bailiffs and legal counsel across two years, with further costs expected. Local businesses reported concerns about customers and area impact.
Members of a group of rough sleepers recently evicted from an encampment on Park Lane are believed to have relocated to locations on Oxford Street. Video footage recently shared online showed a long line of people outside John Lewis, with another group also known to be sleeping by the M&S. Westminster City Council, the local authority, has confirmed it believes some of them were among those in the Park Lane encampment dismantled by Transport for London (TfL) earlier this summer.
A spokesperson for the council said its rough sleeping teams are out speaking with people across the city seven days a week, and that when they are prepared to engage with officers, we can offer routes to hostel accommodation and help with addiction and mental health issues. The Park Lane encampment, which was established on a patch of land opposite the Hilton hotel by Hyde Park Corner, mirrored a similar site set up last summer closer to Marble Arch.
Collection
[
|
...
]