MORE long queues at Northampton tip today despite council's extra day opening

There are long queues into Sixfields Household Waste Recycling Centre today (Friday, April 16).

Vehicles waiting to get into the tip were queuing all the way back to the Weedon Road Roundabout next to the Hungry Horse at about noon.

This comes after West Northamptonshire Council opened the tips for an extra day in a bid to cut down on queues.

Similar measures have been brought in at Kettering and Rushden so that all nine sites in the county will be open for four days between Friday and Monday.

Jason Smithers, county council cabinet member for transport, highways and waste, said last month (March): “We’re seeing increased volumes of traffic at our HWRCs and while Spring is normally a busy time it has been greatly exacerbated by the current pandemic.

“I’m delighted that we can temporarily extend the opening hours at three of the HWRCs to help alleviate the problem. However the demand is such that we would anticipate the sites to still be very busy, particularly as the weather starts to improve.

“In line with Government guidance to keep everyone safe, I encourage residents to stay at home and avoid attending the sites unless it is absolutely necessary.”

The council has been contacted for an updated comment and was asked why there is no booking system in place at the HWRCs across the county.