Over 4,000 Peterborough residents apply Household Recycling Centre permits on first day as council dismiss fly-tipping concerns due to new scheme

Peterborough City Council has dismissed concerns that its new policy for access to the Household Recycling Centre will lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

From Monday February 24, must use an e-permit to access the centre on Fengate. The permits are free and those that arrive without one will be directed to apply for one. Even with a permit, residents must bring proof of address for their first visit with their permit.

The change has prompted a wave of comments, with over 1,400 on the Peterborough Telegraph Facebook page alone, the most received in memory.

Among the main concerns raised was that the permit plan would lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

A selection of the comments included: “You've never needed a permit to visit the tip in a car before and fly tipping was still rife but can you imagine the impact this is gonna have on fly tipping now.”

"Red tape much? Shouldn’t you be making it easier and not more difficult to recycle?”

“Easy to apply for, but a bit limiting only being allowed to register one vehicle per household.”

The PT has put the concerns to the city council who have responded; pointing out that a similar permit scheme has been in operation for vans and trailers for a number of years and is working well. The council has also dismissed concerns about a rise in fly-tipping.

Councillor Angus Ellis, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport said: “The introduction of the e-permit scheme is expected to reduce the volume of waste requiring treatment, leading to cost savings for the council. The Medium-Term

"Financial Strategy (MTFS) includes an estimated budget saving of £63,000 from 2025/26, though actual savings will depend on the reduction in waste processed.

“Restricting access to the Household Recycling Centre (HRC) to Peterborough residents only is expected to reduce the number of vehicles using the facility, helping to maintain capacity during peak times, prevent congestion in the surrounding area, and ensure an efficient, effective service.

“We do not anticipate the new system having any impact on fly-tipping. The van/trailer permit system for Peterborough residents only has been in place for several years and has proven to be highly effective.

"Since opening applications on Wednesday, over 4,000 residents have successfully applied in under 48 hours, demonstrating how simple and accessible the process is.

“Residents from other areas should use services provided by their own councils and have no reason fly-tip in Peterborough. While fly-tipping remains an issue in Peterborough, investigations suggest that it is primarily driven by smaller traders offering low-cost clearance services. These traders often pass waste to unregistered carriers, who may dispose of it illegally.

"This problem is unlikely to be linked to any changes in policy at the HRC.”