This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
New booking system coming for all Household Waste and Recycling Centre visitors
15/11/2024
Anyone hoping to dispose of waste will need to book a slot
The days of a last minute trip over to the tip at Alkerton to get rid of some rubbish will soon be gone.
Oxfordshire County Council is planning to introduce a new booking system with people only able to visit their Household Waste and Recycling Centres in an allocated slot.
The council already operates a booking system for residents wanting to dispose of small quantities of DIY waste, but this will now be extended to all users. Currently, people can visit at any time during opening hours without pre-booking.
The council says that a booking system will enable better traffic management, reduced queues, more targeted communication about visits and better recycling rates, with staff able to help visitors separate their recyclable from their non-recyclable waste.
It will also help prevent trade waste from being illegally disposed of, which will save council taxpayers’ money.
Acknowledging there will be those who feel the introduction of a booking system will lead to increased fly-tipping, the council points to a study carried out in 2022 which indicated there was no evidence of this.
Although the booking system will be online, residents without internet access will be able to book slots over the telephone.
Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations, approved the new arrangements at a meeting yesterday.
He said: “Our residents have helped Oxfordshire top the national recycling, reusing and composting table for 10 years in a row, so we know they are committed to reducing waste. We are confident that they will see the benefits of this new system, which will help them avoid long queues by booking a time slot in advance, and lead to better customer service from our HWRC employees.
“Booking systems have already been successfully introduced in many other parts of the country, including Swindon, West Berkshire, Suffolk, Kent and Gloucestershire, for several years. We consulted other authorities where similar systems are in place and received strong feedback about how it can improve the service.”
No date has been set for the booking scheme to come into operation. The cost of the new system is estimated at £300,000 for additional staff and £25,000 for computer software. It was hoped the new system would achieve savings of £200,000.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam
Roger England On 15/11/2024 at 9:53 am
what a load of rubbish, you book to go to the doctors, not to dump rubbish .
Gary On 15/11/2024 at 1:12 pm
Spend £325000 to save £200000?
Mr T J Varney On 15/11/2024 at 2:28 pm
So I often go past Alkerton tip on the way to other activities, so do a tip run at the same time . If I cannot get a booking that suits me , I’ve got to create most pollution with my car having to make extra trips ..
M williams On 15/11/2024 at 2:30 pm
I can’t remember the last time I had to queue at Allerton.
a couple of minutes wait at the most.
certainly not long enough to warrant spending over £300000
LES P On 15/11/2024 at 2:38 pm
Yet another load of rubbish by the occ. Staff will assist you at the recycle site yea right they don’t now or will they ever. Occ way will within 12 mths you will be charged to use the facility and most of the staff will be redundant. Within that time scale.
J DFarr On 15/11/2024 at 4:10 pm
I have used Alkerton tip for 12 years and have rarely had to queue for more than a few minutes.A booking system cannot improve on the current system because it will rely on the unpredictable time spent by cars unloading.I’m afraid it is a total waste of money which could be well spent elsewhere in the current cash strapped climate.
Flytipping will undoubtedly increase as we have already witnessed on the approach to Mollington and Chacombe
Geoffrey Finlay On 15/11/2024 at 6:58 pm
What a ridiculous and stupid idea- do the muppets they come up with this nonsense actually use the tip ? It is currently easy and straightforward . Stop trying to fix some thing that is not a problem you idiots !
Del On 16/11/2024 at 8:33 am
This is pathetic. It’s not London!! In four years of living here and umpteen dumps (over 50) I have only once found a queue on a Sunday more than 10 cars long. 90% of the time I either go straight in or wait for three cars. And even if there’s a queue out of the gate it’s on a bloody country lane not a major road.