‘Queues at dump are adding to flytipping woes’
ANDREA LAMBROU
Long queues at East Kilbride’s main recycling centre have led a local councillor to question the suitability of the site.
EK West councillor David Watson told the News the College Milton facility was no longer meeting the needs of East Kilbride residents.
He said: “Since EK’s civic amenity site opened, the town has expanded with new housing developments.
“There have been big changes to the domestic refuse collection regime and also big changes and limits put in place for special uplifts.
“The College Milton recycling centre is not easy to access and it is now common to see long queues the length of Peel Park Place all the way to the Queensway.
“This is causing frustration with residents and they are often turning away.
“Local business are also being affected as they are finding customers are having difficulty accessing them when the road is queued back.”
And Councillor Watson believes issues around accessibility of the facility could be contributing to the town’s fly-tipping problem.
Over the weekend, rubbish was dumped on a residential driveway on the back roads between Sandford and Stonehouse.
He added: “A review needs to be carried out to see if this facility is meeting current and future needs, and if it is in the best location to meet future requirements.
“The civic amenity site could be relocated and this area used for a park and ride facility for Hairmyres station. If this could be facilitated it would resolve the access issues and help resolve the parking issues around Hairmyres. This is an option that could be worth exploring.”
However, South Lanarkshire Council insist local residents are “well-served” by recycling facilities in the area.
Shirley Clelland, head of fleet and environmental services, said: “East Kilbride residents are well-served in having not only a civic amenity facility located in the town but also one in Blantyre that is very accessible to East Kilbride residents.
“These facilities are available to residents from 8am to 5pm from Monday to Sunday in the winter, extending in the summer to 9am to 8pm on weekdays, 9am to 7pm on Saturdays and 9am to 6pm on Sundays. This availability, amounting to 63 hours every week in the winter and 74 hours in the summer, compares very favourability with what other local authorities provide and has proved to be of significant benefit to our residents.
“Demand can be high for this service at times, such as during the festive period and on public holidays, as well as, generally in the afternoon any day of the week. This can lead to queues and delays but, if users time their visits to avoid these more-likely busy times, then they should be able to dispose of their waste in a convenient manner.”
Ms Clelland added: “There is no evidence to suggest that fly-tipping in the area is being done by residents who are turning away from civic amenity facilities, but rather it appears to be by irresponsible individuals who carry out construction or similar work for residents at a cost and then fly-tip the material they collect to avoid paying for disposal.”
Members of the public are urged to report fly-tipping incidents to Environmental Services to www. southlanarkshire.gov.uk or by calling 0303 123 1015.
Offenders can be hit with a fixed penalty notice for £200 or could face a fine of up to £40,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment if convicted.