Call to reverse Alkerton booking system rejected – despite visitor numbers almost halving
25/03/2026
The councillor in charge wants to see if people are taking the same volume, but in fewer trips
The number of visitors to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre at Alkerton was down 37 percent during the first two months of this year – but the councillor in charge feels its too soon to blame the new booking system.
Since mid-January people hoping to visit the site have needed to book in advance.
Figures for February alone are more stark, showing a reduction in visits of 48 percent.
At a meeting of Oxfordshire County Council yesterday, Conservative Councillors put forward a motion asking the Liberal Democrat Cabinet to reconsider the rules and “revoke these new and unnecessary burdens on local residents and return to the popular and successful model previously operated”.
During the meeting a number of councillors utilised delaying tactics hoping to ensure time wasn’t available to discuss the proposal, but the Chair, Councillor Mark Lygo, indicated he would extend the meeting if necessary.
The motion received support from both Conservative and Labour councillors, but a block vote by the Liberal Democrats ensured it failed.
Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, told the meeting it was the weight of items taken to the recycling centres that was key, inferring people may be visiting less frequently, but taking more when they do.
She said: “Whilst the visits appear to be down, we haven’t yet had the answer back about the tonnage. That is going to take at least another two months to come through.
“If we discover that people are going less but dropping off more for each visit, I think that can only be a positive message going forward.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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