Red tape tied up visit to tip
I always try to do the decent thing, especially when it comes to the environment, so when it was time to get rid of our 20-year-old bed, which had seen a lot of action, I decided to phone up Wolverhampton Council.
I wanted to get a reference for access to their Shaw Road facility at Bushbury, because I cannot get access to Anchor Lane due to low barriers and I would be in our camping van.
I was told that because of new legislation I would have to apply for vouchers to gain access to the site even though I have been there only recently. I was then told because of my location I was paying my poll tax to Dudley Council and would have to use their facilities instead.
Undeterred I phoned them and was told that there was a very long waiting list for mattress pick up and disposal, I then said it was already in the van waiting to be disposed of and where was this possible?
The answer unfortunately was that on Wednesdays I would be allowed (after a couple of phone calls and reference numbers) to drive to Stourbridge to dispose of the item. So there I was at 4pm and rush hour, enduring a 20-mile round trip to dispose of a mattress! I would have probably put less pollutants into the air if I had burned it. So why can't I use my local tip? Why are we penalised for where we live? Why so much red tape? But thanks to Wolverhampton Council for the voucher application form which I can't use.
I would not normally think of fly tipping, but councils do tend to make it an option, don't they?
Robbo, Georgina Avenue, Coseley.
