Inverurie and Westhill household recycling sites to see booking system retained in new proposals
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An in-depth report which will go before members of Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure and services committee next Thursday sees new proposals laid out for access to household recycling centres in the north-east.
At present there is a mixed approach being taken at sites following the introduction of a booking system back in 2020 during the pandemic.
Subsequent revisions have seen open access, hybrid and full booking retained dependant on location and individual factors for each site.
Following the latest review and extensive survey feedback from users and staff, new proposals are being made as concerns remain over trade waste being dumped at sites.
The report comments: "Following the feedback and data analysis we need to control the illegal, and at cost to the Council, deposit of trade waste at our HRCs.
"It is proposed to allow all cars full access without booking to all HRCs except Inverurie and Westhill.
"At Inverurie the booking system should remain as the queuing of traffic on the B9170 road from Oldmeldrum to Inverurie will become a police
traffic issue at busy periods.
"The Westhill site is also very busy and removing the booking system would lead to traffic congestion near the site.
"It is also very close the City boundary and removing the booking system would lead to increased visits from householders from the City.
It continues: "The permit system for vans and trailers will be reintroduced to all sites as a means of controlling trade waste.
"Pedestrians will be able to access HRCs, where there is a demand, for a limited period each day.
"This will be introduced at Alford, Westhill, Huntly, Turriff, Fraserburgh, Portsoy, Laurencekirk and Insch.
"The booking of vans and trailers along with the limit of 24 visits per year will be a control measure for trade waste deposits, while still allowing householders with these types of vehicle access to the sites."
It notes: "Customers with vans and trailers will now have to book at all sites and may not be satisfied with this approach but without physically controlling vehicles accessing site (using the barriers) it will be difficult for site attendant to check whether every customer with a van and trailer have a booking without large queues at the entrance gate."
There is also concern for sites currently with a booking system (Westhill) and hybrid booking system (Portlethen) near Aberdeen City and open
access for cars could see an increased number of Aberdeen City residents depositing waste at a cost to Aberdeenshire Council.
There is also no way of regulating visitor numbers and free access for cars will return sites to peak and troughs in visitor numbers and excessive numbers of customers at weekends in summer leading to greater demand on operations.
The Committee is being recommended to -
Approve the proposal to allow all cars full access without booking to all HRCs except Inverurie and Westhill.
Approve the reintroduction of the permit system for vans and trailers to all HRC sites as a means of controlling trade waste.
Approve the change to allow pedestrians to access HRCs, where there is a demand, for a limited period each day.
This will be introduced at Alford, Westhill, Huntly, Turriff, Fraserburgh, Portsoy, Laurencekirk and Insch.
