Police incidents at illegal Travellers site in Newcraighall average almost two per day FOI shows
Crime figures revealed for both illegal Travellers camps at Edinburgh park
Police incidents at an illegal Travellers site in Edinburgh averaged almost two per day, figures show.
Data obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has shown that in the one week that Travellers stayed on the site at Newcraighall Park this summer, there were 13 reported police incidents.
The group first broke into the park by breaking a lock at around 7pm on Sunday, June 14, causing a primary school sports day to be cancelled.
The arrival of the six caravans also sparked outrage among local residents who said they had been left “heartbroken” by the amount of rubbish dumped and declared the park a “no-go zone”.
Speaking about the FOI findings, one concerned local resident, who asked not to be named, said the figures provide “clear evidence” that the site should be secured.
He said he believes there will have been other incidents which have gone unreported and expressed his anger at the council and police for failing to protect the park and community.
He said: “The figures provide clear evidence that the repeated occupation of the park brings crime and other disorder along with it.
“This further supports the argument that the council should adequately secure the site to prevent this from happening for a third consecutive year.
“It is highly likely that the actual number of incidents is far greater than what has been recorded, as the ongoing lack of action from both the police and the council means many local residents don’t bother to report these issues as they feel nothing will be done.”
The FOI data also shows there were 19 reported incidents in May 2025, when the Travellers were in Newcraighall for around two weeks.
Both Police Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council declined the opportunity to respond to the local resident’s comments.
The local resident was also behind the recent FOI regarding council costs for the Travellers being in the park last year, which showed that the council spent £500, a figure the local resident questioned.
He added: “I have now heard back from the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the costs for the 2026 occupation, and they have once again provided a figure of £500. As anticipated, they have now confirmed that they do not record clean-up costs.”
A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: "Every Freedom of Information request is assessed on a case by case basis in line with the relevant legislation. There is always a presumption in favour of disclosing the requested information - we release as much information as possible to applicants to ensure transparency and accountability, in line with regulations.
"However, there are some circumstances in which we cannot provide information, for example for legal reasons or because it includes personal data. If applicants are unhappy with how we have dealt with their request then they have the right to appeal the decision."