Council bosses have confirmed they did not serve any parking fines while Travellers were parked on one of Norwich's car parks for a week.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich City Council's contractors cleared piles of rubbish from St Crispins Car Park. Pic: Archant.Norwich City Council's contractors cleared piles of rubbish from St Crispins Car Park. Pic: Archant. (Image: Archant)

A group of caravans, parked across a number of spaces at Norwich City Council-owned St Crispins Car Park, were reported to City Hall on Monday last week.

The initial five caravans were joined by three more, before the group left the 80-space pay and display car park, between Chatham Street and St Crispins Road, on Sunday afternoon.

The car park remained open to the public, but a number of the spaces were blocked.

And the council has confirmed that, during the time the Travellers were on the site, it completely suspended enforcement at the car park - so no parking ticket infringement penalty notices were issued to any vehicles.

Vehicles which do not display parking tickets in city council car parks are liable to a £50 fine, reduced to £25 if paid within two weeks.

But a city council spokeswoman said: 'During the time of the encampment, which obviously caused disruption to usual business, we took the decision to concentrate focus on getting the car park back into operation and so suspended all enforcement on the site, which means no vehicles would have been issued fines.'

The council said it had lost about £770 in revenue from the car park during the encampment.

Following the group's departure, empty cardboard boxes, which had contained chainsaws, pressure washers and tools, was cleared away after it was piled up close to the car park's waste bins.

The council spokeswoman said: 'Norse was primed ready to move on to the site and carry out the clear-up work, which it has done and incorporated into its usual rounds and programme, no additional cost has been incurred.'

She added the council was not pursuing any action for fly-tipping, due to difficulties tracing those responsible.

A group of caravans and vehicles is currently at Costessey park and ride.

A Norfolk County Council spokesperson said: 'We are planning to serve notice in the encampment tomorrow for them to leave by Thursday, April 11 at 4pm.'