All West Sussex tips should be opened seven days a week, councillor argues

Outrageously the Tories at West Sussex County Council, despite all objections, are forcing through a booking system to use our local amenity tips, writes councillor Michael Jones, Labour group leader at West Sussex County Council, in a letter to this newspaper.
Worthing tip after last year's first lockdown. Picture by Steve RobardsWorthing tip after last year's first lockdown. Picture by Steve Robards
Worthing tip after last year's first lockdown. Picture by Steve Robards

It used to be easy to throw away or recycle at all of our tips any day of the week. Then the West Sussex Tories closed them all two days a week. Then they cut the opening hours. Then they made residents show photo ID.

Now they want people to book in before they can use the tips at all.

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Understandably, many residents now feel like it is easier to get into Fort Knox than access their local tip!

To make it even worse they are further insisting that people will only be allowed to book once in any seven-day period.

Aside from the massive inconvenience, West Sussex Labour councillors believe this will increase fly-tipping. Many things can only be recycled at the tips and, if made more difficult, more will go in the general waste and make landfill worse as well.

If the Tory leadership genuinely wanted to tackle capacity problems at the tips in Crawley, Horsham, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Shoreham, then they shouldn’t blame residents for using the tips and trying to stop them – but should open them all seven days a week, instead.

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Also, how badly will this hit nearby sites when people drive the extra distance rather than go through the hassle of booking in advance at their nearest one?

It should be obvious that reopening all these tips seven days a week would considerably reduce the pressure caused by the exceptional demand.

West Sussex Labour councillors not only call for this, if we were in control of the council we would do so immediately.

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