New rules and times for Newtown’s recycling and household waste centre come into force from Monday.
Concern has been raised over the new three-day opening - reduced from seven days - and restrictions on the type of vehicles that can use it. For example, if you drive a van or a pick-up, you won’t be allowed in.
The site in Wern Ddu Lane will only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9am and 5pm and Sundays from 9am to 4pm from next week.
The Welshpool site will be open on Mondays and Fridays and Saturdays between the same times as Newtown.
Restrictions on the type of vehicles that can access the centres will also come into effect on the same day as the new opening hours. Vehicles that will be allowed at the centres include:
• All cars, sport utility vehicle (SUVs) and people carriers (with rear seats and windows)
• Camper vans and Land Rovers (with rear seats and windows)
• Pick-up trucks / double cab vehicles with sliding cover / fibre glass back
• Single axle trailers towed by any of the above.
Vehicles that will not be allowed at the centre include:
• Pick-up trucks / double cab vehicles with open or a metal back
• All vans (including hire vans)
• Agricultural vehicles
• Sign-written vehicles
• Any trailer that is not single axle (regardless of what it is towed by).
Trade waste recycling permits aimed at small traders will also increase in price from £150 to £200.
Nigel Brinn, the council’s Head of Highways, Transport and Recycling, said: “The service changes are necessary to achieve the savings targets that have been set for the next financial year.
“Although the opening days of the household waste and recycling centres are being reduced, they have been arranged so that there will always be a site open somewhere in the county every day of the week.
“The two sites in the south of the county will be open on different days to each other and this will be the same for the sites in the north. The site in mid Powys will be open on the day when all the other sites are closed.
“The centres are designed to take household material for recycling or disposal that is not collected from the kerbside. Unfortunately, the sites have been used by traders getting rid of their commercial waste and by householders getting rid of large quantities of waste when they should be making alternative arrangements such as hiring a skip.
“In order to fully achieve the savings target that have been set we need to restrict certain vehicles including commercial vehicles from accessing the sites.”
