Council happy with recycling site changes

A REVAMP to a council recycling centre in Weston is dangerous and ‘an accident waiting to happen’, according to a resident who wants to see its changes reversed.

North Somerset Council’s recycling facility in Aisecome Way, off Herluin Way, was recently redesigned.

Previously, drivers entered the site and reversed up to the bins to dispose of rubbish – but now the facility has been redesigned and has three lanes alongside the banks for drivers to access them.

But Philip Seaman, a user of the site who works as a health and safety representative, said: “As soon as I saw it I thought it is an accident waiting to happen. If you are in the second or third lane, you have to cross moving traffic to get to the bins.

“People crossing with big bags of recycling will have their vision obscured. Has there been a risk assessment done for the new layout? When I saw it I thought they couldn’t have done one. It is an absolutely basic mistake.”

North Somerset Council said the system is safe and outlined the way it is intended to be used.

A spokesman said: “The three lanes are intended as two lanes for parking and a middle lane to drive in and out.

“This new layout is an established way of running a recycling centre and is seen as a safe way of operating such a facility.

“We will continue to monitor the new system and look at ways to make further improvements where we can.”