Anti-abortion protesters could soon be banned from the area surrounding a clinic in Twickenham.

Richmond Council will consider on Wednesday (February 6) whether or not to place a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) outside the BPAS clinic in Rosslyn Road.

For years, residents and staff members have reported feeling harassed and intimidated by the “vigils” from the Good Counsel Network.

The activists themselves deny any aggressive or upsetting behaviour, saying they are there simply to give advice to women who might be feeling pressured into seeking an abortion.

More than 3,000 people responded to a council consultation on whether to implement the ban.

The results show that 81 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that protesters’ behaviours have had a detrimental effect on them or others in the local area, rising to 88 per cent among those directly affected.

Similar numbers (80 per cent and 88 per cent respectively) said the council should put the PSPO in place.

The most common behaviours witnessed at the vigils were handing out leaflets, displaying posters and praying.

But 49 per cent of respondents reported seeing people made to feel upset or uncomfortable, 35 per cent said they had seen people be harassed or intimidated, 22 per cent said people had been shouted at, and 16 per cent said they had seen people being followed.

In a response to the consultation, BPAS public affairs and advocacy manager Rachael Clarke said: “Many women report feeling distressed by the presence of the protesters and their activities – many highlight that this is especially true because of the situation they are in, in which they have often already made a very difficult decision.”

Ms Clarke gave examples of clients’ comments about their experiences during the consultation period, with many women and people accompanying them saying they felt unsafe, fearful and intimidated.

The response detailed several “noteworthy incidents”, including in November 2017 when two protesters allegedly held a video camera at the entrance of the clinic, upsetting a client, only stopping when the manager threatened to film them in return.

In March 2017, a client who had told BPAS workers her partner was violent towards her got a call saying they knew she was at the clinic, and then received a text message from a protester telling her not to go ahead with the abortion.

Ms Clarke’s submission claims the partner had given one of the protesters the woman’s mobile number.

Vigils have been held outside the Rosslyn Road clinic on and off for more than 10 years, but have been increasing in frequency and size since September 2013.

They happen almost daily, with up to a dozen protesters on Fridays and Saturdays.

If the PSPO is approved, protests will be banned from several roads around the clinic.

Breaching such an order is a criminal offence, and those breaking the rules could be fined.

Several organisations responded to the consultation against the PSPO, saying it would violate otherwise lawful protest and free speech.

The Catholic Union of Great Britain made several legal points suggesting that the PSPO would be open to challenge in the courts.

Their response read: “The proposal gives disproportionate weight to the views of those local residents who would prefer that activities outside the BPAS facility did not take place.

“The fact that the activities are unpopular with some people is not a sufficient or lawful reason to ban a broad range of behaviour, which is otherwise lawful and a peaceful exercise of human rights over an extensive area.”