TRAVELLERS who set up camp at an Oxford park and ride caused an 'unacceptable disruption to the transport network', say police.

There was a surge in reports of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage around Pear Tree Park-and-Ride during the period travellers were on the site.

The force were also notified of a dog, belonging to a member of the group, biting a member of the public on Wednesday afternoon.

Around 50 caravans appeared at the popular park-and-ride on February 13 and remained on the site, taking up roughly 140 spaces, until Thursday.

As they left there was a vast amount of rubbish strewn around the site

The Oxford Mail has established that, if the spaces had been filled by paying customers in that time, the city council could have made in excess of £1,600.

Since abandoning Pear Tree, smaller camps have appeared at Bicester and land near Kassam Stadium.

A police spokesman said: “The scale of the encampment over the period of time represented an unacceptable disruption of the transport network.

“Combined with increased reports of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage in the area, it was considered appropriate to issue a Section 61 Order.”

While processes to remove them were initiated by the city council and police, the Oxford Mail spoke to members of the group, none of whom wanted to be named.

When asked why they had taken up residence at the park and ride, one woman said: “We have nowhere else to go.”

Another added that, if a more suitable site were offered, they would use it. It is believed the 45 caravans were from four or five separate groups, and one woman expressed disappointment that they were all 'lumped together'. She said travellers who are tidy and civil when on public land should be commended as a way of discouraging those who are not.