New booking system for Norfolk tips to go live in November

A new system which will require people to book a slot at the tip is set to go live at the start of November.

Norfolk County Council insists that the controversial changes will help with service demand, reduce congestion and make sites safer while ensuring costs are covered for the disposal of waste.

But the authority has faced backlash from residents and councillors in the wake of the announcement, with some worried that people could be more tempted to fly-tip their rubbish.

Anyone wishing to visit a Norfolk recycling centre from Monday, November 18 must book in advance.

Bookings can be made up to seven days ahead either online via the county council’s website or by phoning the customer service centre. The new booking system will be live from Monday, November 11.

Slots are available every 15 minutes and people can make a booking or cancel one right up until the time of the booking.

People will be asked to give the registration number of the vehicle they will be using on the day. Business and trade waste customers will also be asked to provide their waste carrier’s licence number.

Cllr James Bensly, county council cabinet member for environment and waste, said: “Booking systems are widely used across the country, including by our neighbouring counties Suffolk and Essex.

“The booking system will offer many benefits including reduced congestion and improved waiting times. Our site staff will have more time to help customers who need assistance which makes for a better customer experience all round.

“The changes to the trade waste service mean we can continue to provide a convenient way for small businesses to dispose of small amounts of trade waste in Norfolk, whilst covering the costs of disposal.”

Everyone has to book to drop-off waste at the recycling centre, including those arriving on foot or by bicycle. People do not have to book if they only want to visit the re-use shop but if they also want to leave waste in the same visit, then they need to book ahead.

In addition to the booking system, trade customers will also see a change to the way they pay to dispose of their waste from the November 1.

Businesses will be charged based on the size of vehicle and the type of waste they bring, instead of the number of bags.

These changes are to make sure that the costs of disposal of trade waste at recycling centres are fully covered, and to provide a “fair and consistent price” for traders based on the volume and type of waste in each vehicle.

Cllr Dan Roper, a member of the county council’s Liberal Democrat group, said: “We have been clear from the start of the discussions surrounding the booking system at recycling sites that its implementation must not be to the detriment of the service user.

“Many businesses have expressed their concerns of limited flexibility, leading to wider concerns of fly-tipping made further likely by the new charging policy.

“The Liberal Democrats will be urging the county council to monitor the new system closely to ensure the service is not disrupted, numbers of customers and waste volume are not reduced, and most importantly that incidents of fly-tipping do not increase.

“The council must be open to rethinking the system if it proves to be flawed.”

Earlier this year, the county council also agreed to close all of its recycling centres on Wednesdays as part of a bid to save £200,000 a year.