Pedestrian-only sessions could be introduced at Angus skip sites in the latest twist to the running of recycling facilities across the district.
In a bold move to reverse a decision taken at the height of last year’s recycling centres controversy, Forfar councillor Braden Davy has secured a pledge from waste management bosses that they will look into the possibility of vehicles being banned from skip sites at certain times to allow only dumping by foot.
Pedestrians were prohibited from Angus recycling centres last year following a health and safety impact assessment which identified foot traffic mixing with cars as an avoidable risk.
The move came at the height of what one councillor branded a “burach” as the authority’s new coalition administration executed a u-turn over radical plans to re-shape skip site provision – delivering a year-long stay of execution for the Monifieth facility in the process.
The pedestrian ban came in around the same time as a restriction was put on the size of trailers which can be taken into skips sites, again on health and safety grounds.
Councillors pressed ahead, however, with plans for reduced operating hours at local sites and the provision of body cameras for skip site operatives.
Forfar Conservative councillor Mr Davy has now been told pedestrian-only access will be looked at, following a meeting he organised with the town’s community council and top official Stewart Ball, the council’s head of housing, regulatory and protective services.
Mr Davy said concerns were raised in the meeting over the inability of some people to access centres, with a suggestion of allowing a short period at the start or the end of the day for pedestrian-only access.
Mr Davy, who had already called for a rethink over the pedestrian ban, said: “This was a great suggestion from the community council, and shows why public engagement on these issues is important.
“We know that the mixing of pedestrians and cars is not permitted if it can’t be done safely, and some of our recycling centres are too small to make the necessary changes.
“I’m pleased to see that the council will now be looking into the possibility of a system of pedestrian-only access times.
“It could either be before cars are allowed at the start of the day, or after they are no longer allowed at the end.
“This would allow our centres to be accessible to those who don’t have cars and allow as many people as possible use our recycling centres.
“The more that is recycled, the less that is sent to landfill, which is far more costly.
“It also reduces incentives to fly-tip and helps keep our local community clean,” he said.
“I am looking forward to seeing further details, but ultimately it will be down to the public to show that there is demand for this service.”
Mr Ball said the authority was always willing to look into suggestions and he said a trial period might be necessary to gauge public interest and uptake.
“This is certainly something we will explore,” he told the meeting.
