A EURO-MP is urging the Government to introduce new powers to take criminal action taken against travellers who occupy sites without permission.

Tim Aker, Ukip MEP for the East of England, has criticised the current “time-consuming” process of evicting trespassing travellers.

The call comes after a spate of unauthorised occupations in Southend and Basildon in recent weeks.

Mr Aker has set up a petition calling for new powers for police to evict travellers quickly and impose heavy fines for clear up costs.

The MEP, who is also a Thurrock councillor, said: “These new proposals would offer a strong deterrent to a problem affecting boroughs up and down the country.

“Under current rules, local authorities have to followaconvoluted, complex, time-consuming process to clear unauthorised traveller sites.

“These stages take between seven to ten working days, including obtaining court orders and kindly urging the travellers to clear the unauthorised site using bailiffs.”

This month, it took 11 days for a landowner to evict a group of six caravans from fields which have been earmarked for development in Laindon.

Redrow Homes, which wants to built 135 homes at Ballards Walk, employed 24-hour security while it launched legal proceedings.

Travellers have also set up camp in Garon Park, Southend, and in Shoebury.

Mr Aker said: “If I were to pitch a tent in your garden completely uninvited, would you accept my presence in your garden for seven to ten working days, or two to three weeks in real time? The law is unbalanced and needs changing.

“South Essex in particular has had a serious problem with unauthorised traveller sites for years.”

Mr Aker cited the eviction of travellers from Dale Farm, which cost taxpayers £22million, as a situation where the law has failed residents.

He said: “Basildon Council had to stump up nearly £5million of that.

“Every penny of this could have been avoided had the law not been so weak in relation to unauthorised traveller sites.”

Mr Aker’s petition on the parliament.uk website has already been signed by nearly 6,000 people.

If 10,000 people sign it, the Government will be obliged to provide an official response.