North Yorkshire Council is considering whether to ban people depositing commercial waste at all of its household waste recycling centres.
It is one of a range of options being considered as part of cost-saving measures.
Other ideas include restricting the number of trips vans can make to the centres and banning people who don’t live in North Yorkshire from using them.
The options, which would affect sites at Penny Pot Lane and Wetherby Road in Harrogate, Dallamires Crescent in Ripon and mobile sites in Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge, are due to go out to consultation.
The Penny Pot Lane tip.
A council decision notice last week announced plans to consult on changes, which it said would “avoid the need to reduce the service but do impact certain site users”.
The Stray Ferret asked the council why it was proposing changes, what the options were and the likely cost associated with them.
In a statement, it replied:
“To help make savings and improve the service they provide, North Yorkshire Council is looking at various changes at household waste recycling centres.
“This includes limiting the use of HWRCs to North Yorkshire residents only, limiting the access for commercial-like vehicles as well as changes to commercial waste.
“Around 15 per cent of visits are not made by North Yorkshire residents. Limiting the use to the county’s residents could generate savings of about £140,000 every year and would align with neighbouring authorities.
“The council is also proposing to limit access for commercial-like vehicles (including those in a van or pick-up). Figures show 93 per cent of visitors in a commercial-like vehicle make less than 12 visits per year. Limiting these vehicles to 12 visits could bring savings of about £370,000 and could reduce congestion at the sites.
“Before implementing these changes, people will be asked to share their views on the proposals, as well as whether they support commercial waste continuing to be accepted at HWRCs.”
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According to the council’s website, commercial waste is currently accepted at all of its centres except Wetherby Road in Harrogate.
Environment minister Rebecca Pow announced in June that households would no longer have to pay to get rid of DIY waste at household waste recycling centres.
DIY waste is now treated the same as household waste, saving tip visitors up to £10 per sack of rubble or sheet of plasterboard.
North Yorkshire Council said this would cost £889,000 and force it to look for new ways of saving money.
Last month, the Local Government Association, which is a membership body for councils, warned the change could mean tip closures and reduced hours in some council areas.
Traffic control measures around Penny Pot Lane as tip re-opens to public
A short queue of cars was waiting outside the Household Waste Recycling Centre on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate this morning.
After North Yorkshire County Council announced yesterday afternoon that it was going to re-open some of its tips today, locals were ready to make use of the facility.
Traffic management was in place, forcing drivers to approach the site from the west only. Those arriving from the Harrogate side had to follow signposts to go along the A59 and down to join the queue on Penny Pot Lane.
NYCC said if the queue becomes too long, it will ask drivers to come back later in order to spread demand.
Diversion signs re-direct traffic arriving from the east
With 10 tips now open from 8.30am to 5pm, seven days a week across North Yorkshire, the county council said they are only to be used by people who cannot store their waste at home until lockdown is lifted. Commercial waste is not being accepted and nor are trailers, but charges are still being made for disposing of some non-commercial waste, including hardcore, rubble, plasterboard and tyres.
Coun Andrew Lee, NYCC’s executive member for Waste Management, said:
“Please consider others and go to the HWRC only if you are struggling. If you can store your waste at home, please do so. And please continue to try to minimise waste and where possible use your kerbside collection services rather than visiting a recycling centre. Ask yourself whether your trip to the centre is really an essential journey.
“As outlined in Government guidance, a visit to your local HWRC should only be considered essential if the waste materials cannot be stored at home without causing risk of injury or harm to health.
HWRCs on Wetherby Road in Harrogate and Dallamires Crescent in Ripon remain closed.