Cllr Royce Longton calls for normal opening hours at West Berks waste site (Wokingham Liberal Democrats)

Wokingham Liberal Democrats <info@wokinghamlibdems.org.uk>

Cllr Royce Longton calls for normal opening hours at West Berks waste site

October 15, 2007 12:00 PM

West Berkshire Council's Liberal Democrats have written to the Executive member responsible for waste to press for normal opening hours at the Pinchington Lane waste site (Greenham) to be resumed following lengthy queues and traffic problems resulting from the new, restricted opening times.

Shadow Waste spokesman and Burghfield Councillor Councillor Royce Longton explained:

"We have received a large number of complaints from members of the public who are now effectively unable to make use of this site, a facility funded by their council tax contributions. These shorter opening hours make it much more difficult for people to get to the site when it is open, which in turn means more rubbish being accumulated by residents, less being recycled, and more being dumped where it shouldn't be.

"Moreover", he continued, "the traffic queues are longer in length and are present for longer periods than before, which are increasing the risk of a serious road accident. Short and spontaneous closing periods to use the heavy machinery are only adding to the traffic chaos".

Greenham ward member Councillor Julian Swift-Hook added:

"We are looking to Councillor Findlay, who is responsible for these decisions, to look into opening the site for longer. We are also pressing him for an explanation as to why the site was closed for so long after the tragic accident if the only change has been to require the loading shovel not to 'operate near the public' Presumably other changes have in fact been required and implemented and we are therefore looking for a comprehensive report on the findings of Health & Safety inspectors and details of the actions that have been taken to ensure the safety of staff and public at the site and prevent any further accidents."