Aylesbury recycling centre to close for two days a week under council proposals

The recycling centre at Rabans Lane in Aylesbury is to close for two days a week under proposals announced by Bucks County Council.
The recycling centre at Rabans Lane in AylesburyThe recycling centre at Rabans Lane in Aylesbury
The recycling centre at Rabans Lane in Aylesbury

Other plans include closing the recycling centre at nearby Bledlow and introducing charges for construction and demolition waste for both Bucks residents and those from outside the county who use the centres.

These are among the recommendations to the county council’s cabinet which if approved will take effect from April 1.

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Under the proposals Rabans Lane will provide a five day service, closing for two consecutive days during the week.

The planned closure days are Wednesday and Thursday due to what the council describes as ‘operational service delivery needs.’

The centres at Chesham and Burnham will also be subject to a five-day week while six recycling centres will remain open for seven days - centres within the Vale at Aston Clinton and Buckingham plus others at High Heavens, Beaconsfield, Amersham and Langley.

It is recommended that one of the recycling centres is closed completely - Bledlow, which is near Princes Risborough. 

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The council says it wants to close Bledlow because: “It has the fewest visitors of all the HRCs, it is one of the most remote sites in the service, is one of the most expensive to run due to lower waste volumes and has nearby centres as alternatives.”

Another of the key proposals is to bring in charging for construction and demolition waste.

The council is planning to introduce the following charges which would apply to both Bucks residents and those from outside the county who use the centres:


> Asbestos - £12 per 25 litre bag and £3.50 per sheet
> Tyres - £4 per tyre
> Soil and hardcore - £2.50 per 25 litre bag
> Plasterboard - £6 per 25 litre bag and £7 per sheet
> Chargeable wood - £2.50 per 25 litre bag and £10 per equivalent size to a door (two metres by one metre).

The council says: “Charging for construction and demolition waste enables us to maximise the opportunity in reaching the savings target and continue to manage associated risks of further HRC site closures.”

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A decision on the council’s recycling centre proposals will be made by the council’s cabinet on January 7 2019.

Bill Chapple OBE, the county council’s cabinet member for planning and environment said: “Buckinghamshire’s household recycling centre service is very highly thought of by our residents, and we would prefer not to have to make any changes.

“Unfortunately, though, in these financially challenging times the council has to take responsibility and make really hard decisions that will allow us to continue providing the essential services on which many of our more vulnerable residents rely.

“The proposals that are going before Cabinet on January 7 are the result of much careful thought, and represent a package of measures that will result in significant cost savings while at the same time making as little difference to the way the average resident uses our household recycling centre service as possible.

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“I’d ask anyone interested in the changes to look at the extensive supporting information that has been published along with the proposals.

“It shows the depth of research and analysis that has gone into making proposals that offer the best possible balance between cost saving and maintaining the quality of the service.”