Booking system introduced at Birmingham Household Recycling Centres

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Book a slot in advance or you will be turned away – that’s the message to people living in Birmingham who want to use their local recycling centre.

A new online booking system has been introduced to access Birmingham’s network of Household Recycling Centres to ensure that social distancing measures are followed.

Since reopening after government guidance that trips to HRCs were permissible during the ongoing lockdown, lengthy queues and waiting times of up to 5 hours have been experienced in Birmingham.

The new website booking system, based on one operated successfully in Leeds, is now open and residents who use the website system can reserve slots for later this week from Thursday (June 11) onwards.

From June 11, only those with a booking, linked to the registration plate of their vehicle, will be permitted access to the HRCs, with no exceptions. Additionally, each vehicle will be restricted to one booking per week.

As this booking system is being introduced as an emergency queue mitigation measure, it will only be available online. Anyone who does not have access to the internet is advised to ask friends or family to help arrange bookings for them.

And in a further update to help residents manage their waste, the opening hours at all sites are being extended to the normal summer hours from June 11, as follows:

Weekdays (Monday to Friday)Tyseley, Perry Barr, Kings Norton & Sutton Coldfield HRCs: 8am-8pm

Weekends (Saturday and Sunday)Tyseley, Perry Barr, Kings Norton: 8am-6pmSutton Coldfield: 8am-4pm

As a result of the ongoing restricted access, vans are still not permitted at any site, but the situation is being reviewed regularly and access for such vehicles will be granted in due course on a pre-booked basis. Charges will apply to businesses, as per before the lockdown.

The Castle Bromwich HRC is still closed due roadworks in the nearby area, with an update on its re-opening date expected soon – and once open, it will also be part of the new pre-booking system.