Plans considered to cut hours and impose booking system again at West Lothian recycling centres

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Plans to cut opening hours at West Lothian’s five recycling centres are being discussed.The cuts are being discussed to deliver agreed budget savings despite fears it will lead to a rise in fly-tipping.Options under consideration include returning to a pattern of part-time opening hours, similar to the model introduced in 2019, or maximising daily opening hours which would see the centres with less visitor numbers at Broxburn and Linlithgow open fewer days, but for longer hours.A booking system is also planned for all vehicles using recycling centres to reduce queues and keep traffic flowing at the centres.

This will also help address issues around commercial businesses and residents from other council areas outwith West Lothian using the centres to dispose of their waste, delivering savings of £70,000 per year.Head of operational services Jim Jack said: “Financial savings are required across the council as the funding we receive is not increasing as much as the increasing cost of delivering essential services.“The options put forward for consideration represent what we believe are the best ways to deliver the required savings and maintain services in all five centres, at the busy weekend period in particular.“The introduction of a booking system has several benefits for customers who want guaranteed access, with less queues to enable a quick turnaround on their visit.“The majority of our neighbouring councils already have booking systems in place, or ask residents to bring along identification, to prevent those from out with their council area using the facilities.”He added: “The previous changes to opening hours in 2019 did not lead to a significant rise in fly-tipping, so we would not expect any of these options to