A homeless camp in Park Lane has been dismantled with workers in high-vis jackets removing tents and wooden panels.
Footage taken from the scene on Tuesday afternoon shows the makeshift camp close to Hyde Park being taken apart.
Transport for London (TfL), which manages the strip of land in the middle of the road, had previously been granted permission to clear the area occupied by homeless people.
The transport authority said that removing the camp was a “last resort” and had only been done because the busy section of road was not a safe place for people to sleep rough.
Up to 20 tents were on the strip and around 40 people were living there on the site opposite the luxury Park Lane Hilton hotel. Items including tables, a shopping trolley and a washing airer have been seen at the site.It is not known how long the current camp had been going, but the area of land, in one of the wealthiest parts of London, has been troubled by similar encampments for years.
West End councillor Timothy Barnes confirmed that action had been taken by TfL and Westminster City Council, alongside waste management firm Veolia.
He posted on X: “The site on Park Lane, Mayfair, that has been occupied for far too long by rough sleepers, has been dismantled today. Support for those sleeping there has been provided far above the required.”
A TfL spokesperson added: “No one should be faced with sleeping rough on London’s streets. Park Lane is a busy part of the road network that is not a safe place for people to sleep rough and our focus is on the safety and welfare of everyone involved.
“We applied for a possession order on 21 August and wanted to allow sufficient time for outreach support to take place and to encourage rough sleepers to accept offers of support available to them.
“While a number of people have since accepted offers of support or have moved from the location, a large encampment remained – so we have taken the decision to take action to gain possession of the site.
“Enforcement has always been our last resort and we are working closely with our partner agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of everyone involved.”
Westminster City Council told the Standard that once the site is cleared it will work with TfL to make it more secure.
The council’s Street Outreach Service and the Roma Rough Sleeping Team will continue visiting the site, having previously visited the area several times.
A Westminster City Council spokesman said: “The reasons people live on the street are complex. Whatever the causes, underpasses and central reservations are not safe places to camp and the welfare of people staying there is a significant concern.
“Following TfL’s enforcement action today the Council and its partners have cleared the vacated land.
“The safety and welfare of those sleeping rough continues to be a priority for the council and we will continue to work with outreach services to help people get the advice and support they need to move on.”
