A date has been confirmed for the introduction of a controversial booking system at four recycling centres in Dorset. Dorset Council says the pre-booking system will be introduced at Household Recycling Centres in Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury and Sherborne from Monday, March 23.
Residents will be able to start booking their visits from Monday, March 16.
The council says each of the four sites currently sees around 380 visits per day, but the new system will provide 430 bookable slots daily at each site, which can be reserved up to two weeks in advance.
Visitors will be given a 30-minute arrival window, and multiple bookings on the same day will be permitted.
According to the council, the scheme aims to make visits smoother, reduce queues and ensure the service is used fairly by Dorset residents.
Earlier plans to introduce booking across all 10 recycling centres in Dorset were dropped following strong public opposition. Local councillors, MPs and residents raised concerns when the system was originally expected to be introduced last autumn.
Under the new arrangements, Dorset residents will still be able to use the centres free of charge, but non-Dorset visitors will be required to pay a fee per visit.
The council’s other six recycling centres will remain open without booking for Dorset residents, except when disposing of DIY waste.
Jon Andrews said the authority had listened to feedback when designing the revised system.
He said: “We’ve listened to residents and designed a system that’s simple and fair. It improves the experience for Dorset households, ensures taxpayers aren’t covering waste disposal costs for neighbouring areas, and helps prevent business use of household sites.
“By reducing congestion and improving recycling efficiency, the system also supports a cleaner, greener Dorset.”
Dorset Council says it remains the top-performing unitary authority in England for recycling and believes the new system will help maintain that position.
The council says spreading demand across the day should reduce queues, ease congestion and cut emissions.
Independent reviews, including those by DEFRA, suggest booking systems do not lead to an increase in fly-tipping and can help councils manage demand more effectively.
A council spokesperson said the authority understands the changes may take time for residents to adjust to.
They added: “We know this is a change, but it means shorter waits, fairer use of services and better value for money for Dorset taxpayers. We’ll review the system regularly and listen to residents to keep improving.”
