Surrey Council Approves Recycling Centre Closure Amidst Widespread Objections

Plans for the closure of a community recycling centre in Surrey have been approved, despite 93% of consultation respondents expressing opposition. Surrey County Council (SCC) indicated that the facility at Swift Lane in Bagshot is challenging to access, outdated, too small for upgrades, and has been associated with anti-social behaviour. Ahead of the decision on Tuesday, two petitions against the closure had collected over 2,000 signatures. Individuals who utilize the Bagshot Community Recycling Centre, which sees approximately 920 visits per week, have been advised to use alternative facilities located in Camberley, Lyne, or Woking. The council reported ongoing issues at the site, including vandalism, fly tipping, and unlawful entry. Staff members had also been subjected to threats from some users attempting to bring unacceptable materials to the site, the council added. A public consultation concerning the closure was conducted between September 16 and October 11, yielding 1,079 responses. Although 93% of those who participated were against the closure, 76% stated they would use the alternative sites. The council noted that reasons for the objections included the inconvenience of traveling to another site, a concern about increased queues at other locations, and the potential rise in local fly tipping. Despite these concerns, SCC stated that its experience indicates previous alterations to sites, including reduced opening hours and days, have not resulted in a greater number of fly tipping incidents.