Bristol City Council creating new policy on van dwellers
It's thought the number of people living in vans in Bristol has quadrupled since 2019
Bristol City Councillors will debate a new policy next week on how to manage a growing number of people choosing to live in vans.
The Homes and Housing Delivery Committee will meet on Friday 14th February to discuss a report featuring several recommendations on how to improve things both for van dwellers and other members of the community. It comes as estimates suggest there may be as many as 680 vehicles with people living in them across Bristol. That is four and a half times more than there were in 2019 before the Covid pandemic.
It also comes as a recently published analysis of people living in vehicles in Bristol found they are more likely to suffer from infections because of a lack of access to clean water, toilets and washing facilities.
Councillor Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said: “Too often, the debate around people living in vehicles has become polarised and stigmatising.
"This report is an attempt to bring new thinking to bear on the issue, charting a way forward that supports the health and wellbeing of everyone, both those living in vehicles and their housed neighbours.
"As the number of lived in vehicles in Bristol has grown significantly in recent years the council recognises the challenges this brings.
"We acknowledge that this is a complex situation, and our current approach is not sustainable."
The presence of van dwellers in Bristol has caused controversy at times, particularly around The Downs; one of the most affluent areas of the city, where one of the largest encampments of vans has formed in recent years.
Last summer Bristol City Council asked van dwellers on Parry's Lane and Saville Road to leave, citing complaints from people living in nearby homes about waste, abandoned vehicles and fly tipping.
While some did move on, others either ignored the request or simply moved a matter of metres around the corner.
“We recognise that people live in vehicles for a variety of reasons," Councillor Parsons said.
"People living in vehicles can experience poor health and other vulnerabilities, and our focus must be on finding sustainable solutions and support options.
"However, if an encampment, or individuals within an encampment, start to have a negative impact on the area in which they live, we need to make sure we have a robust and clear policy for when we will take action."
Bristol City Council says it wants to start a "real, direct and relevant conversation" about the issue and reassure residents that it is taking it seriously.
Recommendations in the new report include:
- Changing the way meanwhile sites work to help provide people with a route out of homelessness.
- Establishing permanent Vehicle Dweller site(s) in the city.
- Establish service sites for Vehicle Dwellers, which would provide drinking water, waste disposal and laundry services.
- Set up regular outreach support to allow Vehicle Dwellers to access vital services.Â
- Support the creation of a formal Vehicle Dweller voices group.