Tip trips down since booking system launch

The number of trips to a tip in York has fallen since the introduction of a new booking system.

A "Click Before You Tip" system was launched at Hazel Court Household Waste Recycling Centre in February, with the aim of cutting queues and congestion in the surrounding area.

New figures show the tip had visits from 9,909 vehicles in March this year, compared to 21,332 vehicles in the same month last year, according to operators Yorwaste.

Liberal Democrat councillor Paula Widdowson said the new system was not working and risked an increase in fly-tipping, however, Labour's environment executive member Jenny Kent said ditching bookings could risk a return to gridlock.

Kent suggested that meaningful conclusions could not be drawn from one month of data.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the system allows residents to book four 10-minute slots a week while businesses are allowed two 15-minute visits a day to the site with a vehicle.

Bookings are not required for walk-ins or for the council's tip in Towthorpe in Moor Lane, Strensall.

The system is currently being trialled ahead of a future decision on whether to keep it.

Yorwaste figures also showed Towthorpe was busier than Hazel Court for the first time since at least April 2024 in March.

Vehicle visits to Hazel Court were also down in January and February this year, prior to the launch of the booking system.

It comes as council figures show there were 1,150 incidents of fly-tipping in York in the first four months of this year, up by 6% on the same period in 2025.

Widdowson said the figures should prompt a re-think of the new system.

She said: "Residents are telling us loud and clear that the new booking system at Hazel Court simply is not working.

"The numbers speak for themselves, visits to Hazel Court have more than halved in a year and, for the first time, Towthorpe has overtaken it for visitor numbers.

"When you make it harder for residents to dispose of waste properly, you inevitably risk more rubbish ending up dumped on our streets."

However, Kent said resident feedback suggested trips to Hazel Court had been "smoother and less stressful".

"However residents choose to book, the small amount of time taken will be more than saved by the shorter queuing time when arriving at Hazel Court," she said.

"Unstaffed community skips are not being considered because they've attracted large scale fly tipping in the past, including trade waste, but we're working at a local level to find solutions that work for residents on the issue of bulky waste disposal."

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