Residents wanting to use Spalding’s recycling centre are likely to need an appointment if plans by the county council go ahead.
The council is looking at introducing a booking-only system for all the county’s household waste recycling centres – despite the fact that a previous attempt during Covid saw complaints rocket.
According to a report to the council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee next week, it’s the best way forward.
It says the centres are ‘under sustained operational pressure, driven by increased visitors numbers, rising waste tonnages and continued misuse by non-residents and commercial operators.”
The report also highlights potential savings of around £1m which could be made as a direct result of booking.
It also says that it would solve the potential queuing problem and reduce traffic issues as a result.
“Peaks and spikes can be managed by providing staggered slots throughout the available opening hours.”
Deputy county leader Rob Gibson, also a South Holland councillor, said there were also problems with people from outside the county using the tip. He said the technology had improved since a previous system was introduced during the Covid restrictions.
“There will be a few niggles as people get used to it,” he said.
A range of options have been created to address challenges – including changing opening times.
“The booking system is the most effective solution to address increasing visitor numbers, queuing, congestion, commercial misuse and pressure on recycling performance,” says the report.
There will also be ‘targeted infrastrucure improvement programme’ across all the sites.
Coun Gibson said he didn’t expect the move, likely to be at the end of the year, would lead to increased fly-tipping.
“People who fly-tip do it regardless. We are led to believe booking has no impact on the figures,” he said.
Booking would need an address so it would also help tackle the problem of traders ‘doing the rounds’ of local sites in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to get rid of commercial waste.
“People should be able to book anytime – even on the day. It may be that if you don’t have a booking and turn up when it’s quiet you could get booked in,” he said.
