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05
Jan
Booking system for recycling centres moves step closer in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire Council has awarded a £27,000 contract to implement a resident permit and booking system for recycling centres.
Blackpool-based Pentagull Ltd has been contracted to implement the system as the authority introduces restrictions for centres across the county.
The Stray Ferret revealed in August that changes were in the pipeline in a bid to save £405,000.
The move will require people to register to use the service and also cap the number of visits for commercial vehicles.
According to a notice on the government’s contract portal, Pentagull Ltd has been tasked with creating the system which will “replace and consolidate existing arrangements for commercial-like vehicles (CLVs) and to control access for residents”.
The £27,985 contract is due to start in April this year.
Senior North Yorkshire councillors backed the move to impose restrictions on household waste recycling centres in October 2025.
New restrictions
The changes mean residents will have to register to use the service.
Under the restrictions, residents will provide their name, address and vehicle registration number to the council prior to visiting a household waste recycling centre. This will allow the authority to check whether the car is registered in North Yorkshire upon arrival.
Visits for residents will remain free of charge.
Meanwhile, commercial vehicle users will be limited to 12 free visits per year. Those who use the centres more than this will be required to pay a commercial charge or be directed to the nearest disposal facility.
Cllr Richard Foster, executive member for managing our environment at North Yorkshire Council, said previously that the changes struck the right balance.
He said:
The aim of the review was to identify savings to help achieve a balanced budget and to deliver efficient and effective services.
We believe that the proposals strike a balance between keeping the service free and easy to use for residents, while making significant savings.
We have found that most neighbouring local authorities restrict access for non-residents and set limits on commercial-like vehicles.
The experience of these councils, along with independent research, does not result in increased fly-tipping, although we will continue to monitor the levels.
However, no date for when the changes will be implemented has been revealed.
The council currently operates 20 recycling depots, including two in Harrogate and one each in Ripon and Pateley Bridge, which last year handled 64,500 tonnes of waste and recorded 1.6 million visits.
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