Bristol councillor fears waste system will encourage fly-tipping

A new booking system for rubbish tips could cause an "explosion in citywide fly-tipping", a councillor has warned.

Residents in Bristol will have to book a slot before visiting household recycling centres from 6 June.

It will replace the current vehicle registration plate system brought in during the pandemic to manage numbers and encourage social distancing.

Bristol Waste said the new system would reduce queues, waiting times and emissions from stationary traffic.

"I truly fear this ill-thought-out booking system will lead to an explosion in citywide fly-tipping," Conservative councillor for Bristol city council Richard Eddy told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Already, during the Covid pandemic, we have experienced a massive rise in littering and fly-tipping.

"If Bristolians are forced to accept a booking system where they cannot be assured of taking recyclable items to the tip at a specified time and may be turned away, I can foresee a huge upsurge in Bristolians leaving their waste illegally elsewhere."

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: "It will reduce queues, drive down emissions from queuing vehicles, ensure a smoother on-site experience for our residents and prevent any unnecessary journeys to the centres.

"We have received complaints about all of these issues from residents in the past and the new system has been designed to address these."

The spokesperson said the council would review the system as it is rolled out.

"A new re-use and recycling centre on Hartcliffe Way is due to open in the coming months.

"Once complete, the centre will be the third recycling site in Bristol and will help to reduce demand and congestion at the two existing sites, as well as provide a closer option for South Bristol residents," the council said.

The new booking system is due to open on 23 May.

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