LONDON -- A man who has been living beside the A9 road in Scotland for the past three years was evicted Wednesday.
Charles Ingram has lived in a camp by the busy road since 2012, but was evicted after Scotland's transport agency expressed a "concern for Mr. Ingram's personal welfare" and deemed him to be a "safety hazard and distraction for drivers."
_DSC7842 Sleeper on the A9. The man that lives right beside Scotland's most dangerous road. www.a… #flickr https://t.co/Mv2y6hrvrR— ~~ Aaron Sneddon ~~ (@aaronsneddon) September 30, 2015
A spokesperson from Transport Scotland defended the decision in the following statement sent to Mashable:
"Decisions like this are never taken lightly but reflect our responsibility for the safe operation of the trunk road network and our concern for Mr Ingram’s personal welfare.
“We have been working closely with Perth and Kinross Council, as the local authority responsible for care and welfare issues, along with Police Scotland, to ensure everything possible has been done to resolve this situation amicably.
“The extent of the encampment on the A9 has grown in recent months and it is now a safety hazard and distraction for drivers and, as such, we have no choice but to take this action.
“All partners remain on hand to provide any support we can to Mr Ingram to ensure that his welfare and possessions are protected."
It's not completely clear why Ingram began living by the side of the road in 2012; The Courier mentions "an apparent neighbour dispute" while the Daily Record refers to a business deal that lost Ingram money.
Ingram was something of a local celebrity in the area, and since his eviction people have flocked to social media to express a mixture of concern and outrage.
Charles Ingram, old gent who lives in the layby on the A9 at Bruar has been evicted. They've blocked his layby. :-( pic.twitter.com/P5vmPfyLeO— Bombskare (@B0MBSKARE) October 1, 2015
So gutted that the man that lives in his car on the a9 was evicted. That was his home, why wait 3 years?? #charlesingram #a9— Iona Campbell (@IonaCampbell) September 30, 2015
Perth and Kinross council confirmed to Mashable that they have worked with Transport Scotland "to offer advice on our welfare and support role."
"We do not comment on individual circumstances," the council said in a statement. "However, Perth & Kinross Council will do whatever we can to assist people who become homeless. This includes offering emergency and temporary accommodation and providing support, advice and assistance to secure the most suitable housing option available to meet the household’s individual needs.
"We also ensure that people have access to information about the range of benefits available to meet their housing costs. While we always fully meet our homelessness responsibilities there is no obligation on the individual to accept the help and support offered.”