CHANGES to imporove safety for members of the public at a recycling centre near Chester need to be made.

Following a visit by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), advice has been received on changes that need to be made to Tattenhall Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) to improve safety for the public and staff.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is working with the site contractor, HW Martins, and the HSE to make changes and improve the site for residents.

A new one-way system will be in place for vehicles using the site and reversing will no longer be allowed.

A new lane and parking area, central reservation with barriers, and pedestrian walkway will allow staff and visitors to move safely.

To limit congestion, only two cars will be able to unload at the same time.

For this reason, large loads will be restricted, and so car-derived vans and all commercial vehicles (including pick-up trucks) will no longer be able to use the site and instead will be directed to Winsford, Chester, or Ellesmere Port HWRCs.

The narrow turning circles on the one-way system mean that any vehicle over 5m in length or with a trailer will no longer be able to use the site.

Tattenhall HWRC can still accept converted camper van or converted mobility vehicles under 5m in length.

HWRC customers will not be able to use the left-hand side of the site so the range of items that can be accepted will reduce. The site will no longer be able to accept:

  • TVs and monitors
  • Fridges and freezers
  • Large bulky household items including those for re-use (accept electrical items)
  • Rubble (including tiles, bricks, concrete posts, ceramic units)
  • Cardboard
  • Chemicals
  • Car batteries
  • Fluorescent tubes.

Metal and domestic appliances and textile containers will be relocated to the right-hand side of the site.

Disruption for the public will be kept to a minimum with the changes being made while the site is closed as usual on August 22 and 23 and will be in place for when the site opens on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

Cllr Karen Shore, deputy leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and cabinet member for environment, transport and highways, said: “Public safety is the council’s key consideration, and these changes are necessary to improve people’s experience of visiting Tattenhall HWRC.

"There are changes to items that can be accepted, so we encourage residents to visit our other sites in Chester, Ellesmere Port and Winsford if there are items that can no longer be accepted at Tattenhall.

"Items such as cardboard can also be collected as part of the regular kerbside collection service, so it is worth checking to see what can be collected from home before visiting a HWRC.”