Residents planning to visit household waste recycling centres in Oxfordshire are being reminded that advance booking is now required.
Oxfordshire County Council has introduced an online booking system for all seven of the county’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) to help manage demand and improve the visitor experience.
Anyone wishing to visit a recycling centre must book a time slot online through the council’s website before arriving. Slots can be reserved up to two weeks in advance or as little as 30 minutes before arrival, depending on availability.
Residents who do not have internet access can also book by calling the council’s customer service team on 01865 519800 between 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am to 4.00pm on Fridays.
Visitors are also reminded to bring proof of an Oxfordshire address, such as a driving licence or recent utility or council tax bill. People travelling from outside the county will be charged £15 to use the sites.
Judy Roberts said most visitors have already adapted to the new system.
“Between the booking system going live on 14 January and 1 March there have been more than 58,000 visits to Oxfordshire’s HWRCs,” she said.
“Around 74 per cent of these visitors booked in advance, so we really need to ensure that the other 26 per cent are aware that they need to book in advance. It only takes two minutes to make a booking online.”
The council says the new system has already reduced queueing and improved availability at the sites. The busiest times have been weekends between 11.00am and 2.00pm.
As well as helping with traffic management, the booking system is expected to increase recycling rates. Staff have more time to help visitors separate recyclable materials from non-recyclable waste.
Analysis carried out by the council suggests that up to 60 per cent of material placed in non-recyclable containers could actually be recycled.
Residents are encouraged to sort their waste before arriving at a recycling centre. Sorting stations are available on site for those who arrive with mixed materials.
Anyone unsure about what items can be recycled can use the council’s Waste Wizard search tool on its website or ask staff at the recycling centres for advice.
Some residents have raised concerns that booking systems could lead to increased fly-tipping. However, the council says similar systems are already used by many local authorities and have not resulted in higher levels of illegal dumping.
So far, no increase in fly-tipping has been recorded in Oxfordshire, and the council says it will continue monitoring the situation.
The booking system is also expected to help manage demand when the Redbridge Household Waste Recycling Centre closes later this year for around three months of essential safety work.
Redbridge is the busiest recycling centre in the county, and the system will help distribute visitors more evenly across the remaining sites while the work takes place.
