A NEW Police and Crime Bill threatens to criminalise tens of thousands of Britons wild camping in vans this summer.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – which completed Committee stage in parliament last week – focuses primarily on protestors but will also, in its current form, criminalise tens of thousands of British citizens who ‘wild camp’ in campervans, motorhomes, caravans, or similar vehicles.

If passed in its present form, van dwellers and those wild camping in vehicles could face a fine, up to three months in prison and the confiscation of their vehicle & possessions.

There are concerns that the Bill could affect many communities such as people living campervans due to economic hardship, traditional nomadic communities and 'staycationers' travelling in their own vehicles or rented campervans.

Author and documentary filmmaker Nick Rosen is spearheading a new petition to call for amendments to the bill: “We urgently need 10,000 signatures to the petition as the government is then forced to respond during the Bill’s passage through parliament, giving us a good chance of forcing an amendment. There are upwards of 60,000 people living off-grid in mobile homes of various sorts in the UK. Some are taking a break from their normal life, while others live this way permanently," he continued. "Many people don’t realise that the van-dwelling way of life is under direct threat from the bill, at a time when it has never been more popular and necessary. Action is needed urgently to raise awareness and stop this unintended consequence of the crackdown on protesters.”

The petition can be found here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/583903