Tips to re-open – but only cars allowed on site
HOUSEHOLD waste and recycling centres across Kirklees will re-open next Monday (May 11) - but services will be restricted.
Social distancing measures mean anyone disposing of waste will have to do so alone - and to carry it to onsite skips on their own.
The measures, which follow advice from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), have been introduced to ensure the safety of staff and visitors.
To allow for a speedy queuing system only cars will be allowed into the recycling centres, not large vehicles, vans or trailers.
And only Kirklees residents will be allowed to use the borough’s tips. A permit system will be in place to ensure no-one from outside the borough attempts to break the rules.
The council is also asking people to: Wash their hands before and after visiting and to be respectful to staff; Keep 2m apart; Put off their visit during the first week of opening to reduce queues; Check the queue times and plan their journey for when sites are less busy.
The authority has warned thatworkers will close queues if they are causing issues for blue-light services and other key workers, or if cars are unlikely to get to the front of the queue before closing time.
The council closed all its municipal tips on March 24 followed “unprecedented” demand over a sunny weekend that led to staff being overwhelmed.
It followed a decision by workers with Suez, which operates Kirklees’ tips, to shut gates after confrontations with “aggressive” residents who refused to follow advice on 2m safety rules.
The council has been under pressure to reverse its decision following an increase in fly-tipping and encouragement from the Government to re-open.
The Conservatives’ Clr Richard Smith was among those who called for a U-turn on the closure decision.
Reacting to the planned re-opening he said he was “very pleased” and added: “I have been concerned about excessive fly-tipping for some time.
“I would urge all residents to be respectful of social distancing so that this can continue to work for all of us.”
Acknowledging that “nobody wants bags of waste rotting outside their home” Clr Rob Walker, the council’s Cabinet Member for Environment urged people to consider whether a trip to the tip was necessary.
He said: “Now really isn’t the time to start creating waste, whether that’s from DIY or clearing out storage spaces at home.
“Please help us to keep the queues as small as possible by continuing to store things safely wherever possible.”
Council Leader Clr Shabir Pandor said Kirklees was working with neighbouring authorities to make it possible for local people to dispose of waste that cannot be safely stored at home.
And he said that, despite the sixweek shutdown, Kirklees had not seen “a surge” in fly-tipping.
He added: “This is not the re-starting of the old service, but the introduction of a new service in unprecedented times.
“The latest Government advice makes it clear that a trip to the household waste recycling centres can be included in the essential journeys criteria if it helps keep people safe.”
When the sites open, people will be able to visit the council’s website to check the latest queue times and plan their journey for when the sites are less busy.
Kirklees residents can register online for a permit here: www. mykirklees.gov.uk