One month on – how has tip slot booking been for you?

It’s been a month since Wiltshire residents were asked to make a booking before taking a trip to the skip.

Wiltshire Council says 38,000 bookings have been made since the trial launched. And more than a hundred residents responded in 24 hours to a social media request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service to share their views.

Critics of the new system repeatedly said the biggest drawback was losing the ability to make an unplanned trip to the tip.

Chris Jackson said, “I preferred the old system. When I’ve got some rubbish I get in the car and take it to the tip. Don’t mind waiting. Now I’ve to hold on to the rubbish and plan when I can go. The time slots are not always suitable for me.”

For J-j Cee, that became particularly difficult during a house move. They said, “Honestly, the booking system was a pain. We ended up with a lot of stuff to go, but couldn’t definitely say when we’d be able to take it all, plus we’d need to do multiple trips because we have a small car.

“So we ended up not being able to do it and needed to pay someone to do clearances, which wasn’t cheap.”

Sandy Duerdoth also found fitting a visit around work difficult, saying, “The stuff had to stay in the garden for over nine days till I could get a slot for when I wasn’t working.”

Others questioned whether bookings were necessary at quieter sites.

Lucy Scott said, “I used Purton yesterday for the first time. No queue, only about four cars in there. It worked, but I don’t think it’s needed there. Apart from just after Christmas I’ve never had an issue getting in.”

And Maxine Dyer said, “I never had a problem with the old system and I don’t remember having to queue for more than a few minutes.

“I didn’t like the 15-minute time slot because it put me under pressure to get there bang on time. Once I was there it was no less busy than before so I can’t see the point of the new system.”

But there was equally strong support from residents who welcomed shorter queues and easier access.

Clare Travers said, “I think it’s brilliant. No waiting. No dangerous queuing on the road and easy to use. You can book on the day as well if you wake up and fancy a clearing out day!”

Flora Woods said her experience at Melksham was “very straightforward”, adding, “The booking system was easy to use. There were lots of times to choose from. Fifteen mins from the time I booked, drove up straightaway, no queue.”

Toni Hartwell was similarly enthusiastic, saying, “Brilliant. Booking system is easy peasy. On all three occasions we’ve been there’s been plenty of parking, a quick in and out.”

Anne Singer said, “Wonderful. Arrived at 2.20 for a 2.30pm booking, number plate checked on approach, was waved through, no queues, lots of bays free, helpful staff.”

And Sean Grant said, “It’s great. No more queuing or turning around and going home so I can plan my day better. No more wasted fuel.

“Very easy to book and loads of available slots. Parking is much easier when I arrive. Long overdue at Stanton.”

Wiltshire Council said early results from the trial were positive.

Samantha Howell, Corporate Director – Place, said, “Since launch, more than 38,000 bookings have been made across the six pilot sites. Most bookings – around 60 per cent – are made on the same day or the day before a visit, showing that residents can still use sites at short notice.

“Capacity has also been increased since launch, and we are continuing to make improvements based on resident feedback.

“The pilot is designed to collect evidence and understand the impact of the booking system. We are monitoring areas such as customer satisfaction, accessibility, queue times, fly-tipping, recycling rates, site usage and operational efficiency.

“Resident feedback is an important part of this evaluation.”

She added, “The pilot will run until at least Spring 2027 so that performance can be assessed during different seasons and busy periods, including Christmas and Easter.

“Once the pilot ends, the findings will be reported to Cabinet, which will decide whether the booking system should continue, be changed or be removed. No decision has been made on its long-term future.”