The borough’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre, garden waste and bulky waste services are due to restart later this month, with strict guidance in place to ensure the safety of residents and staff and to ensure access to Mortlake crematorium, which is exceptionally busy these days.

Townmead Road Waste and Recycling Centre will reopen from Monday 18^th May, however there will be significant rules in place regarding when and how people access the centre and queues are expected.

The fortnightly paid for Garden Waste collection service will restart on Monday 18^th May and the paid for Bulky Waste collection service will commence on the 26^th May.  Access to the online booking system to arrange for bulky waste collections will be open from 18^th May.

Following updated national guidance, the government has said that it’s reasonable for residents to take waste or recycling to their local centre only if it cannot be safely stored at home or keeping it at home is a risk to public health or the local environment.

In accordance with this guidance, the council will be putting in place several measures to ensure social distancing and the safety of people who have to use the centre. This includes:   

• You should only visit if you cannot store your waste without causing a risk of injury, health or harm.
• The items you need to drop off could not be collected via the Bulky Waste service or reinstated Garden Waste collection service.
• If you are unwell with coronavirus, symptoms of the virus or are self-isolating you should stay at home. Those on the NHS shielded list who are considered extremely medically vulnerable should also not visit.
• Weekday opening times have changed (see table below).
• You can only visit on certain days, based on your car registration number (see table below). This will be based on whether the second digit of your car registration number is ‘even’ or ‘odd’.
• If you can use the weekly household waste and recycling service to dispose of your waste (not green waste)– please do so.
• Staff on site will not provide any assistance to remove or carry items from vehicles.
• Stay 2 metres away from other people. 
• We recommend that you wear gloves for your own protection. 
• Access to vehicles only. No access for those arriving on foot or bicycle.

As it is anticipated that the centre will be very busy in the first few weeks of opening, the council is urging residents to really consider whether visiting is urgent or essential. Townmead Road is adjacent to the borough’s Crematorium – which is currently exceptionally busy with around 20 funerals every day. The council will therefore be prioritising access to those vehicles who are attending funerals. Stewards will be in place to monitor and control traffic. However, residents are encouraged to look at the council website and Twitter feed before leaving their homes for the latest updates.

In addition, whilst we will have stewards in place helping to coordinate traffic, please be aware that if the site becomes too busy and unsafe, it might close at short notice.

For more information go to: www.richmond.gov.uk/townmead_road_covid19_guidelines_and_restrictions

Opening times for residents with ‘Even’ registration number plates based on 2^nd digit e.g. XX52 XXX

Opening Times for residents with ‘Odd’ registration number plates based on 2^nd digit e.g. XX03 XXX plus old UK style, foreign, personalised etc.