As residents have continued to queue for several hours to access the city’s household recycling centres, Birmingham City Council are making some significant changes to improve the service.
From Thursday 11th June, only residents who have booked a slot in advance will be able to access the tip. If you have not booked a slot you WILL be turned away.
The new online booking system has been introduced to access Birmingham’s network of HRCs in recognition of the fact COVID-19 social distancing measures are set to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
Although lengthy queues were expected an initial surge as people sought to dispose of waste amassed during the pandemic-enforced closure, wait times have remained in excess of two hours.
Safe working practice on the sites mean the number of cars that can enter the sites at any one time will be restricted for the unforeseeable future.
The new website booking system, based on one operated successfully in Leeds, is now open and residents who use the website system can reserve slots for later this week from Thursday (June 11) onwards.
From June 11, only those with a booking, linked to the registration plate of their vehicle, will be permitted access to the HRCs, with no exceptions. Additionally, each vehicle will be restricted to one booking per week.
As this booking system is being introduced as an emergency queue mitigation measure, it will only be available online. Anyone who does not have access to the internet is advised to ask friends or family to help arrange bookings for them.
Extended opening hours
And in a further update to help residents manage their waste, the opening hours at all sites are being extended to the normal summer hours from June 11, as follows:
- Weekdays (Monday to Friday)
- Tyseley, Perry Barr, Kings Norton & Sutton Coldfield HRCs: 8am-8pm
- Weekends (Saturday and Sunday)
- Tyseley, Perry Barr, Kings Norton: 8am-6pm
- Sutton Coldfield: 8am-4pm
As a result of the ongoing restricted access, vans are still not permitted at any site, but the situation is being reviewed regularly and access for such vehicles will be granted in due course on a pre-booked basis. Charges will apply to businesses, as per before the lockdown.
Cllr John O’Shea, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Parks at Birmingham City Council, said: “We were clear from the outset that people should only visit our HRCs if it was absolutely essential and had hoped that queues would reduce the longer the HRCs were open – but that has not been the case.
“We know clean streets and waste management are important issues for the people of the city, so we have reviewed what is possible and have identified a proven scheme that will bring certainty for those who are planning a trip to our HRCs.
“Nobody wants to have to wait up to five hours to dispose of their waste and this booking system will help us end that frustration, triggered by the unprecedented circumstances we face as a result of the pandemic.
“We’ve also listened to those residents and businesses around the sites and we hope that this will significantly reduce the impact on them too.
“I’d still urge people to think before booking – is their trip absolutely essential? As with the re-opening of fast food outlets, other shops and the relaxation of travel restrictions, we know that there is a surge in demand for anything new or re-opened during this crisis, so I would ask people to be patient as I don’t expect the slots to remain empty for long.
“The key message for everyone is clear – if you do not have a booking to visit our HRCs from June 11, please do not turn up and hope to get in. You will be turned away.
“More broadly, I hope the people of Birmingham continue to follow the advice and guidance which restricts the spread of coronavirus so we can get back to normal at our HRCs and other aspects of daily life as quickly as possible.”
Cllr Simon Morrall (Cons, Frankley Great Park) has been fronting a campaign for changes around the Lifford Lane tip, alongside Gary Sambrook MP (Cons, Birmingham Northfield).
Cllr Morrall said: “I wrote a letter to John’Oshea asking for the Council to implement a better system to manage the traffic, because if nothing was done, I feared that this could drastically encourage fly tipping, which is already bad enough as it is, in my Ward of Frankley Great Park.
“Local authorities such as Dudley Council have implemented an appointment system and this has been very affective and easy to implement. Many people still use the tip as they would but with social distancing and no long queues and speaking to local residents, businesses and refuse workers here in Birmingham, many have agreed with us, that an appointment system would be the best option to manage traffic at the site.
“So I am absolutely delighted to see Councillor John O’Shea back our proposals to implement a booking system at Lifford Lane to manage the historic challenges with traffic flow in the region”
Gary Sambrook MP said “I welcome the news today that the Council after campaign’s like the one run by by Cllr Simon Morrall and myself will introduce a booking system at recycling centres, such as Lifford Lane in Kings Norton. Local residents and businesses have contacted me about this issue and now with this simple solution will help reduce pressure on the roads, on the centre staff and community”.
Cllr Alex Aitken (Labour, Kings Norton North) had also raised concerns around arrangements at the centre. He said: “I’m glad that the Council has listened to myself and, more importantly, the residents of surrounding areas and service users.
“This new system will lead to fewer queues, lower waiting times, and an all round better experience for those attending the tip and those who live nearby.”
Mark Powell, General Manager at Veolia, said: “We understand the pandemic has presented some challenges in the way people dispose of their waste and recycling across the HRC sites and continue to work with Birmingham City Council to explore alternative ways to improve access to our services.
“Residents’ patience is appreciated whilst we adapt to make these changes. We have been working behind the scenes on implementing an online booking system with the aim that it will reduce the waiting time considerably.
“We would like to remind visitors to observe social distancing when on-site to help keep the city and our teams safe during these unprecedented times.”
So now people can’t go to the tip at all as people find no slots available, well done this will no doubt stop fly tipping.
Yet another bureaucratic tick-boxing exercise!
These knuckleheads really cannot see the wood for the trees sometimes, and rather than trying to make life a little bit easier they have to incorporate yet another situation where it is assumed you have internet access and how to book on their website (assuming it doesn’t go offline); and enter your personal information so that they can track your whereabouts, who you are, where you live, and what kind of car you have.
They seem to have overlooked the fact that the majority of people pay council tax, and expect to have access to these places without having to go through this appalling system. Moreover, exactly how will the council announce this new system so that everyone is aware?
Booking systems do not work. You only have to look at the chaos with online supermarket booking and the impossibility of getting a slot for weeks in the future. And then what? People will resort to fly-tipping, which will cost the council (and subsequently the tax-payer) more to clean up.
Dumb and Dumber!
I cannot count the number of times I have tried to book a slot for Northfield HRC. It just doesn’t come up. I have not been able to book since this new “marvellous” idea was formulated.
Every day many times I have tried!!
Unsurprising that fly tipping is on the increase.
I cannot book a slot at Norris way every time I try it keeps coming up perrybarr and castlebrom is there a problem with the site
Why don’t the council do a bulky rubbish collection, this would then be better and people wouldn’t have to go to the tip, at the moment it’s just encouraging fly tipping.
Hi, tried to book a slot Wednesday 28.4.2021, it almost looked successful!
But no reply! Or time slot!