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Waste and recycling booking

Limits on commercial type vehicles and trailers at recycling centres

In April 2021, we introduced limits on commercial type vehicles and vehicles with trailers using recycling centres. Visits to most sites are by appointment, you can book a slot online. You will need a separate booking for each visit.

Book a visit

On this page you can find out more about the limits:

Vehicles with unlimited access

There is no limit on number of visits per household for these vehicles unless they tow a trailer, horse box or horse trailer:

  • Campervans/ motorhomes
  • Cars
  • Domestic style pick-up
  • Estate cars
  • Mobility adapted vehicles (any vehicle that has been adapted for the needs of individuals with disabilities)
  • People carriers (MPVs)

Limited number of visits

Each household has a total of 24 visits to recycling centres with a limited vehicle. These can be split by vehicle type:

  • 24 visits per year with vans (including car-derived and crew), minibuses and trailers
  • 6 visits per year with horse boxes or towable horse trailers 
  • 12 visits per year with a car derived van towing a trailer

The year for the 24 visits by commercial type vehicles and vehicles with trailers runs from 1st April to 31st March.

The limit system is in place at all recycling centres.

Trailers

Please note that you cannot tow a trailer, horse box or horse trailer with a large van or minibus.

Trailers must be 10ft (3m) or less (excluding tow bar) and be towed by either:

  • Car
  • Car derived van
  • Domestic style pick-up
  • Mobility adapted vehicle

How limits are applied

The limits will be applied automatically when you book your visit.

When you book a slot online, the confirmation email will tell you how many of your allotted slots you have used (for example 2 out of 12).

Banned vehicles

Banned vehicles that cannot deposit waste at recycling centres:

  • Commercial type pick-ups, such as flat beds or livestock trailers
  • Plant vehicles
  • Tippers
  • Trailers over 10ft (3m) in length (excluding tow bar)
  • Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes
  • Vehicles with more than 4 wheels

Why we introduced the limits

The limits have been introduced to move business waste away from recycling centres. Some businesses currently take their waste to the household recycling centres free of charge. The cost of disposing of business waste taken to recycling centres is significant (estimated at £0.5 million per year) and is paid for by taxpayers. The limits are one of the measures to prevent this from happening.

Businesses can instead use the council’s waste transfer stations, where they will pay by weight for their recycling and non-recyclable waste.