A LOCKABLE bollard is to be placed along a stretch of road to discourage gypsies and travellers from setting up camp there.

The moveable obstruction is to be constructed halfway down the disused section of Tunbridge Wells Road in Mayfield, referred to locally as the disused spur.

The road became home to a family of travellers in November 2007, causing great concern among residents and resulting in a court ordered eviction.

This new measure, to be introduced in February, is a response to concerns from residents that such an event could happen again.

Peter Deller is a parish councillor who lives on the spur.

He said: "There have been a lot of discussions about how to prevent it happening again. I think the truth is that there is no perfect solution."

The bollards are to be built as part of an experimental order likely to last a year.

Kathryn Langley, a spokesman for the county council , said: "We've been asked to introduce these measures because of some problems we had in this section of Tunbridge Wells Road.

"Vehicles are banned, and this is being enforced by lockable bollards. Emergency services and landowners who need access are being given keys."

She confirmed that should the bollards be successful and meet with residents' approval they would be made permanent.

The travellers were eventually evicted from the disused spur in February 2008 and since then Cllr Deller has worked with East Sussex County Council to prevent a similar situation arising.

One of his major concerns is the lack of official sites available for travellers.

"The police's job in moving these people on is made considerably easier if they are in a position to say to the offender you should go to this specific place. In 2007 there was no place to send them to and that is still the case now," he said.

Cllr Deller praised the support of East Sussex's Mayfield representative Cllr Bob Tidy in getting the bollard but questioned the council's efforts to provide more gypsy accommodation.

In response, Cllr Tidy pointed to redevelopment taking place at a travellers' site in Maresfield and gave assurances East Sussex was continuing to search for suitable locations.

He said: "We have two sites that we can move travellers to. The finding of new sites is principally a district and borough council responsibility but we help and we have just received funding for five pitches on existing traveller sites in Hailsham and Maresfield."