There were almost a dozen Traveller caravans pitched in Bolton at the start of this year, new figures show.

Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show there were 11 Traveller caravans recorded in Bolton in January – the same as the number reported the year before.

None of the caravans counted this year were unauthorised.

The data comes as the Friends, Families and Travellers charity celebrated Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month in June and are calling on the Government to tackle the accommodation crisis facing the community.

There has been a number of instances in Bolton where Travellers have moved on to public land with the council having take action - as well as conducting welfare checks.

Most recently Travellers moved on to Leverhulme Park, some residents expressed concerns, while others were more understanding.

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “The council operates a registered caravan park, a site providing pitches for Travellers on a permanent basis under a tenancy agreement. 

“Our gypsy liaison service engages constructively with the wider Traveller community to prevent and address any unauthorised encampment on public land.

“Welfare checks are carried out, while correct legal processes and best practice are always followed in line with national guidelines.”

Bolton's Traveller site is in Moses Gate.

A spokesperson at Friends, Families and Travellers, which works on behalf of Gyspy, Roma and Traveller communities across the UK, said: "The chronic shortage of safe stopping places means that over 3,000 Gypsy and Traveller families are left with little to no options about where to stop and rest, and live in fear of retribution."

Nationally, the total number of Traveller caravans was 25,333 in January. About 87 per cent of which was on authorised land.

There were 3,187 caravans on unapproved sites – a 10 per cent increase on the year before. These were primarily on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller-owned land.

The charity added that the Government’s new Traveller Site Fund grants is welcomed but added only one of the 16 grants awarded went towards the development of a new transit site.

The spokesperson continued: "This falls far short of tackling the current accommodation crisis, and more must be done to provide travelling with much needed security.”

The Government recently announced an allocation of £10 million in funding towards improving Traveller sites in nine councils across England – including Kent, Lancaster, Cornwall, Swindon, and Preston.

Minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison, said: "We are supporting councils to improve Travellers’ life chances and build cohesion between the settled and Traveller communities.

"This funding is just one of the many ways we are improving opportunities for communities across the country, as part of the Levelling Up agenda."

The department said investing in sites can reduce the number of unauthorised encampments in England and subsequently reduce enforcement costs for councils in redirecting Travellers from unauthorised sites.

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @chloewjourno