Booking system for nearly all of Fife's recycling centres recommended for removal for cars

A recommendation has been made for the booking system to be abolished for cars only at nearly all of Fife's recycling centres.

It comes ahead of a meeting of Fife Council's Environment & Protective Services Sub-committee taking place a week today to review arrangements for access to centres in the Kingdom.

The exception is Ladybank, where it's recommended the system stays in place as the most recent risk assessment revealed the possibility of danger that would arise from access being shared with the landfill site without traffic management.

Meanwhile, at the other centres, the booking system will remain for all vehicles designated by the DVLA as commercial vehicles in order for operations to be safely carried out and environmental compliance.

The local authority says that the booking system for commercial vehicles will help stop waste being disposed of illegally as well as reduce violence and aggression against staff.

There is another recommendation for electronic barriers to be installed at every centre and it's also recommended that further work should be carried out to facilitate cyclist and pedestrian access at some of the recycling centres, where it can safely be done.

The board of Fife Resource Solutions, which manages the site on behalf of the council and which introduced the booking system during the coronavirus pandemic, will be asked to implement the agreements of the sub-committee as soon as possible.

Councillor Ross Vettraino, the sub-committee's convenor, said: "The health and safety of staff and the community is always the council’s priority. 

"In that regard, the booking system has served the council and the community well, but it is now time to review the situation, and to continue to do so, to ensure that any controls that are in place are only those that are necessary either in terms of health and safety or to protect the centres from being abused by the illegal deposit of commercial waste, which was costing council taxpayers in Fife over £1.5 million per annum."