Petition calls for end to tip online booking trial

Surrey County Council is running a trial at two tips until 10 November

A petition to scrap an ongoing trial whereby residents wishing to use two tips in Surrey must book online has reached almost 700 signatures.

Since 11 August, those wishing to visit Camberley and Lyne (Chertsey) Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) have had to go online beforehand to request a slot.

Surrey County Council said the trial, which is due to run until 10 November, aimed to ease congestion at peak times and improve the service.

However, a petition urging the trial to be scrapped has been submitted to the cabinet by Labour councillor Robert King, who said the new system was "quite cumbersome".

"The feedback I have had and my colleagues have had is it continues to be unnecessary and just adds an extra burden to people who are going out to genuinely and responsibly remove waste," he said.

King said there was confusion of the necessity of the trial at the Lyne CRC, where he claimed congestion had never been an issue.

The petition, which he is due to present at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, urges the council to "let residents use recycling centres freely, as they always have done — without needless barriers".

'Great success'

Natalie Bramhall, cabinet member for property, infrastructure and waste, said the council did not intend to end the trial immediately and would evaluate upon its conclusion.

She denied the claim that slots can only be reserved up to two weeks in advance and that the trial assumes digital access, stating that a telephone booking service was also available.

In an additional statement provided by the council, Bramhall said: "We've seen booking systems at CRCs introduced by councils in other areas of the country with great success and would like to trial a system of our own."

The councillor accepted that "historically, congestion has been less of an issue at Lyne CRC" but added that there would still be times where queues develop at the site.

The trial has proven very effective in managing congestion at the "well-used and busy" Camberley CRC, she added.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.