Bishop’s Stortford Recycling Centre to be shut for about eight weeks for work to increase containers and double parking
The waste tip in Bishop’s Stortford is to be closed until almost Christmas so that major improvements to increase capacity and cut queues can be carried out.
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) says Bishop’s Stortford Recycling Centre, on the Woodside industrial estate off Dunmow Road, will shut from Sunday October 27 for about eight weeks.
It is directing residents to use the nearest Hertfordshire recycling centres at Ware and Hoddesdon – but thanks to a reciprocal arrangement with Essex County Council, people can use the dump in Harlow too.
A spokesman for HCC said: “[We] will shortly be carrying out improvements to Bishop’s Stortford Recycling Centre which will result in a significant increase to its capacity.
“Once the work is complete there will be more than twice the current number of parking spaces available plus an increase in recycling containers, helping to improve the facility’s capacity and reduce queuing.
“The works will require the centre to be closed from Sunday 27 October for approximately eight weeks. Full site closure provides the most effective way to deliver the changes required.”
The closest alternative recycling centres in Hertfordshire are: Ware Recycling Centre in Westmill Road (SG12 0EL), which is open 10am to 6pm every day of the week, and Hoddesdon Recycling Centre on the Pindar Road industrial estate (EN11 0BZ), open 10am-6pm daily except Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Stortford area residents can also use Harlow Recycling Centre at Temple Bank (CM20 2DY). It is open 9am to 4pm every day until the end of February.
You need to book a slot online to visit the Harlow centre, unless you are a Blue Badge holder, pedestrian or cyclist. You will be sent a confirmation email, which you may be asked to show, along with proof of address, at the site.
There is no charge to book. If you cannot book online, call Essex County Council on 0345 743 0430, from 8.30am to 5pm.
Sawbridgeworth’s Cllr Eric Buckmaster, executive member for the environment at HCC, said: “We are excited to be creating a new and improved experience for residents using Bishop’s Stortford Recycling Centre, one that will offer them a quicker and more efficient way to recycle.
“The changes at Bishop’s Stortford form part of a £50m investment in waste-related projects across the county, supporting our ambition to send zero waste to landfill by 2030.
“We are creating a new shredding facility at Waterdale, together with improvements to its existing waste transfer station, another new transfer station in Ware, while similar recycling centre improvements are also taking place at Berkhamsted.”