The Recycling Centre in Marlborough’s Business Park opened today to SN8 residents, only for a long queue to form, stretching back to the Salisbury Road Roundabout and beyond.
Whilst the Centre reopened on Monday, Wiltshire Council’s ‘PostCode Entry Scheme‘ designated today, Thursday 21 May as being the first day that residents from the Marlborough area could visit the site.
Pete Davison, a driver caught up in the Recycling Centre queue commented: “The queue for the household recycling centre was very long, and was causing significant holdups for people wanting to use other businesses at the park, and even caused congestion up and down Salisbury road. I know that other council’s have introduced timed slots. Perhaps this is something Wiltshire Council and their operators could consider.”
Whilst the Centre is open for five days this week, anyone living in the SN8 PostCode District can only visit on Thursday or Sunday.
However, next week, SN8 residents can visit on three of the five open days – Monday 25 May, then Friday or Sunday.
The reason for this PostCode restriction isn’t obvious, other than to cut down on the amount of waste being deposited in each of the Centres.
There are clear limits as to the number of cars allowed in at any time – strict ‘one in / one out’ system employed and also restrictions on the type of waste thatch be accepted – soil, rubble, plasterboard, textiles or asbestos will not be allowed.
When announcing the scheme last week, Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Waste, said: “The majority of our household recycling centres will reopen from Monday 18 May for essential journeys only, but people should be aware that there are a significant number of restrictions in place to protect our staff and residents.”
Other Recycling Centres across the county reported long queues, notably Devizes and Melksham (where the queue was reported to be 2.5 hrs long) as locals visited their nearest site on the only days allowed to visit.
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