The number of complaints received by Tayside Police about travelling people has more than doubled in the last year, The Courier can reveal.
A total of 86 reports of “Travelling People Incidents” have been recorded by the force so far this year a jump from the 40 made over the same period last year.
The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show that biggest hike in objections came in central division, which covers Dundee, with an almost five-fold increase from six complaints in 2009 to 29 this year.
Eastern division, which covers Angus, went up from 20 to 36, while there was a rise from 14 to 26 cases in western division, which covers Perthshire.
Travelling encampments have sprung up in numerous areas across Tayside this year, with many causing outrage due to the mess being left behind.
Gordon MacRae, head of communications and policy at Shelter Scotland, said, “Many of the problems that local residents are concerned about stem from the lack of suitable travellers’ sites forcing many to pitch up in unsuitable locations.
“All councils have a legal duty to provide facilities for travelling communities.
“The best solution for all is to provide more and better accommodation that lets people live in peace.”
More than a dozen caravans remained in situ in the grounds of the former Aviva insurance building at Dundee Technology Park last night five days after the group left the nearby Riverside Business Park.
On Tuesday one traveller said they planned to leave on Friday.
The Aviva site had bags of rubbish strewn around and mounds of building materials and other debris lying on it.
A clean-up crew from Dundee City Council made several visits to Riverside Business Park when the travellers were on site and again after they left.
However, a council spokesman said there had not been any similar visits to the technology park.
West End councillor Richard McCready said he hoped members of the travelling community would show more respect to local people and start using the facilities provided for them by the council.
He said, “I hope they would reflect upon the number of complaints made as it is something that needs to be sorted sooner rather than later.”