Walsall, Dudley and Staffordshire tips to reopen next week
Tips will reopen in Staffordshire and two Black Country boroughs from next week, it has been announced.
Dudley's tip in Stourbridge will reopen from Monday, Staffordshire tips will open on Thursday and Walsall's two tips in Bloxwich and Aldridge will reopen from Saturday, May 16.
Wolverhampton and Sandwell Council tips are also expected to reopen in the coming weeks but confirmed dates have not yet been announced.
The sites have all been closed due to coronavirus.
Dudley Council's Stourbridge tip, on Birmingham Street, will only be available through appointments only, made by telephone.
Anyone turning up without a prior appointment will be turned away.
People are being asked to call Dudley Council Plus on 03005552345 to book a slot, with households limited to one visit per week.
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Dudley Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for environmental, highways and street services, said: "We have been working hard to find a safe way to reopen the site and I am delighted that we will soon be in a position to get it going again albeit in a different way for the time being.
"In order to keep people safe we do need to keep strict social distancing measures in place, which is why we are only taking prior bookings.
"I would remind people not to turn up to the site without booking first as they will be turned away."
The two Walsall tips will be open for Walsall residents only and the Bloxwich tip will only open on weekends. This is to free up space for bin lorries, the council said.
People using the Walsall tips will need to show ID. This includes photo identification, such as a drivers licence, and proof of address, such as a recent utility bill or current council tax summary.
Council bosses are expecting long queues.
The Aldridge site, on Merchants Way, will reopen daily from Monday to Sunday between 8am and 5.30pm.
The Bloxwich site, based on Fryers Road, will only reopen on Saturdays and Sundays between 8am and 5.30pm.
Mike Bird, Walsall Council leader, said: "The council welcomes the government’s guidance around essential trips to the tip under the Covid-19 emergency legislation.
"We have been working with the site operator to make arrangements for the safe reopening of our tips and the resumption of this service, even in a limited capacity, is a good outcome for Walsall residents.
"I know that this will come as good news to many, but we need to remember that we are still in the midst of a public health crisis and a trip to the tip will be different to the way it used to be.
"We need to protect staff as well as residents using the sites and the only safe way we can reopen is to implement strict social distancing measures, limit the number of cars that can enter the tips at one time and reduce the range of materials accepted.
"We are expecting long queues and are putting measures in place to cope with this.
"If you are making a trip to the tip, please be patient and follow guidance of the onsite operatives, who do a tremendous job. Inform yourself about what is and isn’t going to be accepted before you go to avoid disappointment and wasted journeys."
And Staffordshire’s household waste recycling centres will reopen on Thursday, May 14.
The county council has sites in Biddulph, Billbrook, Burntwood, Burton, Cannock, Cheadle, Leek, Lichfield, Newcastle, Rugeley, Stafford, Stone, Uttoxeter and Wombourne.
Sites that would normally be shut on a Thursday will also be open on, with all sites reverting to their normal hours from May 18.
The centres will be open for essential use only, and rules will be put in place for visitors.
Mark Deaville, Staffordshire County Council cabinet member for commercial, said: “Closing the sites when the Government banned non-essential travel protected staff and public, and reduced the pressure on the NHS. I want to thank all residents for their patience during this time.
“Now that pressure is easing we are able to reopen the sites, but it will have to be in a controlled way to comply with Government guidance on social distancing.
“That means we won’t be able to offer a full service and will have to restrict the number of vehicles allowed on a site at one time.
“Inevitably that means there may be queues and we ask people to remain patient and remember that site staff are doing their best in what remain difficult circumstances.”
Councillor Deaville added: “On a normal day we would handle around 3,000 visits to our sites, but after several weeks of people doing jobs around the home and in the garden, demand will undoubtedly be high at the recycling centres.
“However, I would urge people to be sensible and patient as we anticipate long queues when we first reopen.
“Please only come if it’s essential to dispose of your waste – if it can still be stored in the garage, garden, or by the house please leave it there a little longer until the first wave of demand passes.
“During closure workers have prepared the sites for reopening under social distancing guidelines and been supporting essential services elsewhere in the authority.”
More information about opening times and services can be found by searching for ‘household waste recycling centres’ on the county council website staffordshire.gov.uk
