TRANSPORT for London (TfL) is seeking a possession order for a strip of land in Park Lane currently occupied by a large homeless encampment.

The authority said the spot in the middle of the dual carriageway is 'not a safe place for people to sleep rough', and that its focus is on the welfare of everyone involved.

When the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) visited the encampment last month, there were 15 or so tents visible, plus items including tables, a shopping trolley and a washing airer.

It was largely vacant, though two men, through broken English, were able to communicate that around 40 people were living at the site, most of whom they appeared to say were Romanian. It is not clear how long they had been there.

The LDRS also spoke to a handful of local businesses, one of whom called for someone to take authority over the growing encampment. "They are using the area not only to live in but as a lavatory," they said. "Why can't you just get them moved?"

While based in Westminster, by Marble Arch at the western end of Oxford Street, the site is managed by TfL. Last month, a spokesperson for the transport authority said it works with partners including homeless charities, outreach teams and the council to reduce rough sleeping at spots including Park Lane, 'and to help safeguard those sleeping rough or seeking refuge on our network'.

Now, a TfL spokesperson has said it is seeking a possession order for the land. They said: "No one should be faced with sleeping rough on London's streets. Park Lane is a busy part of the road network that is not a safe place for people to sleep rough and our focus is on the safety and welfare of everyone involved.

"Having worked closely with our partner agencies for six months to safeguard the people here and address the health and safety risks, we have now issued legal proceedings seeking a possession order at Park Lane. We will continue to offer support to those at the site during this period, with outreach support teams able to help rough sleepers access the appropriate support for each person's individual circumstances."

The strip of green space by Hyde Park was cleared of piles of rubbish and dismantled tents left by a previous group in 2021. It was thought it had been occupied for around seven years.

A Freedom of Information (FoI) request earlier this year revealed Westminster City Council's spend on temporary accommodation had shot up by £34 million between 2022/23 and 2023/24, the largest jump in a decade. It further detailed how 3,000 households had applied to the council as homeless in the last year, representing a 35 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.