Princes Drive Recycling Centre in Leamington Spa will require pre-booked slots on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays from 20 July 2026, Warwickshire County Council has confirmed.
The change introduces a hybrid system tailored to each of the county’s nine tips, with booking only enforced where demand is high. Cherry Orchard in Kenilworth will stay fully open without any need to book. A recent survey of more than 2,400 residents found 49.4% backed some form of booking to cut queues, while 44.5% were opposed and 6% had no preference. Support was noticeably higher among users of the busier sites, including Hunters Lane, Princes Drive, and Judkins.
The new rules follow a six-month trial that scrapped all booking requirements in November 2025. High demand and sunny weekends brought long tailbacks, full containers, and temporary bans on some materials at the most popular centres. Last year alone, the network handled nearly 1.5 million visits and processed 36,225 tonnes of recycling. Councillor Darren Cheshire, portfolio holder for environment, heritage and culture, described the hybrid model as a data-led compromise that keeps weekday access open while managing peak pressure.
Residents heading to the Princes Drive site on a weekend or bank holiday will need to secure a time slot before travelling. No booking is needed Monday to Friday. The council expects to review the system fully in autumn and winter 2026 to check it is working as planned.
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