THE reopening of nearly all of Cheshire West's rubbish tips and recycling centres last week has been hailed as a success.

While queues formed at the reopening of Ellesmere Port's Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) last Tuesday (May 12), councillors at Cheshire West and Chester Council said the reopening of the borough's tips was safely handled.

It followed a change in Government guidance and meant HWRCs in Northwich, Neston, Winsford, Chester, Ellesmere Port and Frodsham reopened.

HWRCs had been shut as lockdown measures intensified. This decision was supported by local authorities across the country and done in the interests of safety to minimise the number of non-essential journeys, to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Cllr Karen Shore, deputy leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, said: “We would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding that closure of HWRCs was essential to prioritise the safety of staff and customers.

"Council services operate thanks to the staff who are our neighbours, friends and family and it was our duty to make sure they were not at risk when going to work.”

The HWRCs will be open seven days a week, from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, and on Saturday and Sunday between 8am and 6pm to accommodate the expected additional demand.

Only cars will be allowed access to the sites – no pedestrians, vans, trailers or commercial vehicles are permitted.

Visitors to HWRCs will need to follow strict two-metre social distancing both from staff. Staff will not be able to help unload due to social distancing so visitors must be able to safely unload their vehicles and place items in skips.

Tattenhall HWRC is not reopening as it is not possible to implement social distancing guidelines, due to the size of the site.

Councillor Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “Government Ministers had an easy job in stating that HWRCs should reopen.

"They did not have to consider the human cost and risk to staff and customers and I’m proud that as a council we have been guided by safety rather than rhetoric.

"Credit also goes to the council staff who have worked tirelessly to keep our kerbside waste and recycling collections going in difficult circumstances.”

Councillor Gina Lewis, Winsford Over & Verdin, said: “Thanks to clear communication that visits should be for essential use and with our traffic management plans in place, the reopening has been a success, avoiding the queues observed at HWRCs elsewhere.”