'Someone is going to get KILLED,' says woman, following 'CHAOS' at busy Northampton tip over the Bank Holiday Weekend

Visitors to the Sixfields Household Recycling Centre over the Bank Holiday weekend have shared their “horrific” experiences, claiming the site is dangerously mismanaged.

From April 1, 2025, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) entered a new contract with FCC Waste Services – better known as FCC Environment – to manage the six recycling centres across the unitary area. The contract will run until 2040.

The new arrangement means Sixfields, Ecton Lane, Daventry, Towcester, and Brixworth Household Recycling Centres will open from 10am to 4pm, seven days a week.

One key operational change has been brought in at the Sixfields site, where vehicles are now required to reverse into bays to enhance safety measures, according to WNC.

Additionally, temporary closures may occur when queues impact nearby roads, WNC added.

However, pictures emerging from the site over the weekend (Saturday, April 20) – along with users' accounts – suggest the new contract has not got off to a smooth start.

Tia Wray used Sixfields on Saturday, she said: “Someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed, it's horrific over there. The council need to seriously sort it out, the last company in there had it set up perfectly.

“Supposed to be a recycling centre but put all the waste in the same skip? Make it make sense.”

Speaking to the Chronicle and Echo, Tia added: “They are not controlling the flow of traffic, cars are literally pulling up and near on collisions constantly. The skips are over flowing and rubbish is falling from off the sides. The lorries moving the full skips have no netting and I’m surprised there hasn’t been a serious accident or fatality there yet. The staff are more concerned about leaving by 4pm. They are advising people to simply leave your rubbish where ever you can find a space. You can’t walk along the ramps or walkways without having to dodge the rubbish.”

Another user echoed the concerns, saying: “Unfortunately, it's the same every day. I have been four times in the last two weeks as I have moved, and it's the same each time. The way you have to reverse isn't working, as you can't see any clear spaces. They don't sweep up debris, so it's easy to get a puncture. No direction from the staff working there. The system really isn't working and won't while it is as it is. The 4pm closing time is ridiculous – each tip should have staggered closing. Northampton will become even worse than it already is for fly-tipping.”

Other reports suggest machinery at the site had broken down over the weekend.

An FCC Environment spokeswoman said: “FCC Environment took over operations of the Household Waste Recycling Centres earlier this month and since that time the sites have been extremely busy both in terms of visitor numbers and the volume of materials being brought in.

“We would like to reassure our visitors that we take Health and Safety extremely seriously as a business and that all proper practise and procedures are followed, even at the busiest times.

“We would ask the public to bear with us as the Bank Holiday rush calms and operations get back to normal.”

A WNC spokesman said: “We are confident in the safe and effective running of the Household Waste and Recycling Centre at Sixfields and residents can rest assured that the site is managed by experienced crews in highly-controlled work zones with strict health and safety rules and processes. “Due to the good weather and the double bank holiday, we have seen high volumes of visitors at a time when our new contractors are introducing a much-improved service across all sites. The new working methods as well as the additional opening days will improve the safety and experience of residents and workers, and we're confident that any disruption will be minimised as people adapt to the new arrangements and make use of all centres across West Northants.”