ON BEHALF of the Brighton and Hove-based national charity Friends, Families And Travellers, I would like to thank Green MP Caroline Lucas and those MPs who signed an early day motion in Parliament.

The motion calls on the Government to encourage councils to identify and secure alternative accommodation for gypsy and traveller families before proceeding with evictions (The Argus, May 3).

Your article failed to explain that the forced eviction of gypsies and travellers, without considering where they are going to end up, and at huge cost to the tax payer, does not address the real issues.

These are: insufficient accommodation for travellers, the need to work towards changes in the law for these communities, improving access to formal education for traveller children and building better relations with local people.

Forced evictions are also only likely to increase unlawful encampments, at a cost of £18 million each year for councils in England.

If the Government does not take its responsibilities to the gypsy and traveller community seriously, we face a future of more unauthorised encampments, leading to community conflict and enforcement costs to local council taxpayers.

This is good for no one.

Emma Nuttall, Friends, Families and Travellers Community Base, Queen’s Road, Brighton