Thousands sign petition urging council not to dump town's recycling centre
Thousands of residents in a Shropshire market town who are fearful the council is to close their local household recycling centre have signed a petition, calling for it to be kept open.
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Shropshire Council raised the possibility of closing two of the county's recycling centres, out of Craven Arms, Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Whitchurch, as part of budget cuts, although it is understood the centre in Shrewsbury is not being considered for closure.
The council is trying to save £62million but has said that no decision will be made on any of the closures until after a full public consultation exercise that will be subject to ratification by the cabinet and full council.
Since the announcement last month, Telford & Wrekin Council has made it clear that residents from within Shropshire Council's authority area will be charged if they wish to use their recycling centres.
Shropshire Council has also announced it is consulting on whether to charge residents £52 per year to have their garden waste collected.
Fearful the town could lose its Faraday Drive tip, a petition to save the local recycling centre was launched by local community group Sustainable Bridgnorth earlier this month on April 12.
Paul Frith, for Sustainable Bridgnorth, an environmental group that meets weekly in the town, said the possible closure could lead to more fly-tipping in the town.
He said: “Shropshire Council has passed a budget which includes closure of two of the five household recycling centres in Shropshire. Unless we make our voices heard, Bridgnorth could be one of the two.
“As Telford are proposing to charge Shropshire residents to use their sites, the nearest one would be Craven Arms, a one hour 20 minute round trip (if you live in Bridgnorth) – made even longer by undoubted queues as the tip will be in greater demand!
“This could lead to more fly-tipping and greater cost and environmental damage from all the long car journeys. We can also recycle more things at the recycling centre than elsewhere which could end up being disposed of instead and have a nationally important flat screen recycling facility on the site at Faraday Drive.”
Their petition has now reached over 2,000 online signatures and many residents have signed paper copies available in and around Bridgnorth.
Among the signatories include the town's mayor Councillor Rachel Connolly, who also sits on Shropshire Council for the Labour party, who has said the closure of Bridgnorth Recycling Centre would be “disastrous for the town and surrounding villages”.
Similar petitions have been launched in the other towns at risk of losing their recycling centre.
The Keep Bridgnorth Recycling Centre Open petition is available at: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-bridgnorth-recycling-centre
