Wiltshire Recycling Centre Trial Sees 38,000 Bookings in First Month

Wiltshire Council's trial booking system for household recycling centres has received 38,000 bookings in its first month, with residents expressing mixed views about the changes.

The council is running the trial at six of its 10 household recycling centres (HRCs), with around 60% of bookings being made on the same day or the day before a visit.

The trial aims to improve queues and reduce stress for visitors who previously relied on a first-come-first-served system. However, while some residents have welcomed the changes, others say the new arrangements have made disposing of household waste more complicated.

A request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service for residents' views generated more than 100 responses, highlighting differing opinions about the scheme.

One of the main criticisms is the loss of flexibility for people who want to make an unplanned trip to their local recycling centre.

Chris Jackson said: "I preferred the old system. When I've got some rubbish I get in the car and take it to the tip, I don't mind waiting. Now I've got to hold on to the rubbish and plan when I can go."

Some residents have also questioned whether a booking system is necessary at quieter locations, where queues have not traditionally been a major problem.

Maxine Dyer said: "I never had a problem with the old system and I don't remember having to queue for more than a few minutes."

Devizes Town Councillor Iain Wallis said residents who had spoken to him were "extremely unhappy", with some reportedly considering stopping using recycling centres and breaking up rubbish to put it in their own black bins instead.

He said that for the household recycling centre in Devizes, the booking system "is solving a problem that just didn't exist".

However, other residents have praised the trial, particularly at busier sites where queues have caused difficulties for motorists.

Clare Travers said: "I think it's brilliant. There is no waiting, no dangerous queuing on the road and it is easy to use."

Another resident, Sean Grant, described the system as "long overdue at Stanton", referring to the busy Stanton St Quintin site, which serves a large area including Chippenham and is known for queues on the road outside.

Chippenham Town Councillor Declan Baseley has encouraged residents to share their experiences and views on whether the changes have improved their visits.

Wiltshire Council said early results from the trial were positive, with the number of same-day and day-before bookings indicating that residents can still arrange visits at short notice. The council has also increased booking capacity since the scheme was introduced.

Samantha Howell, one of the council's corporate directors, said: "We are monitoring areas such as customer satisfaction, accessibility, queue times, fly-tipping, recycling rates, site usage and operational efficiency.

"Resident feedback is an important part of this evaluation."

The pilot scheme is due to continue until next spring, allowing Wiltshire Council to assess its impact during busier periods, including Christmas, before making a final decision on the future of the booking system.

Booking your visit