Councillor Simon Brew writes …
Since Croydon Council withdrew the free kerbside green garden waste service earlier this year, the queues at all three of the borough’s recycling centres have been appalling. Whatever time you go to one, you are likely to sit in a queue for up to an hour.
The jams outside the Purley Oaks recycling centre mean that there are increase traffic hazards and congestion, with the risk that someone may be seriously hurt in an accident. We want people do the right thing and recycle responsibly, and if the council isn’t prepared to reinstate the free green waste service, then it must, as a matter of urgency, extend the opening hours of the recycling centres. We propose that from May to October they should open from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and from 0800 – 1600 on Sunday; this would add about 40% extra time for residents to use the centre, and would significantly help to reduce queueing time and the resulting congestion in the area.
Another key problem is that the large recycling containers are moved or emptied during the current opening hours; this causes the site to be temporarily closed for around 30 minutes, thus exacerbating the problem of queuing. The Council should empty or move the bins outside opening hours so that the current opening times can be fully utilised.
If you would be interested in signing a petition please click on the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CutTheQueues
Agree it is a big problem. And a massive inconvenience to wait in a queue for up to an hour.
I read that many people from Surrey are using Purley Oaks. Croydon taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for Surrey householders to use our recycling centre.
If non-residents want to use it they should be charged a fee, and that fee could be used to extend the opening hours if needed.