Green-fingered residents in Bromley were angry to discover that four of the temporary garden waste recycling sites across the borough will close at the end of the month.

After April 24, only one of the five temporary sites will stay open until October, whilst the others will close to the public.

For selected days this month, the weekend waste sites have been operating at Norman Park, Cotmandene Crescent, Charles Darwin School, Unicorn Primary School and Green St Green.

But from May onwards, only the Green St Green site will remain, along with the permanent recycling centres in Waldo Road and Churchfields Road.

Last year the opening times at the five sites were halved, from a two-day weekend service to just one day.

And residents believe the reduction to operating over only four weekends of the entire year is a step too far.

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Throughout this month Susan Green, who uses the Cotmandene Crescent site in Orpington, has been running a petition against the cutbacks which has so far been signed by more than 600 people.

She told News Shopper: "Cotmandene site historically has the highest footfall and highest tonnage of all five sites.

"It causes no traffic disruption and it gets busier and busier as the gardening season progresses.

"Alternative ways of disposing of green recycling for us, is the Waldo Road recycling centre which is nearly always queued back onto the road.

"It disrupts traffic, the bus route and the queues case pollution to the atmosphere."

News Shopper:

David Norcott with his wheelbarrow of garden waste.

Ms Green, from St Pauls Cray, said there are regular traffic problems at both the recycling centre in Waldo Road, and the Green St Green weekend site which will remain open.

She fears the closure of the four weekend sites will only exacerbate the traffic and queuing at the permanent recycling centres.

The council also offers a fortnightly wheelie bin collection for £60 a year, but Ms Green claims this is inadequate for the amount of green waste collected by many residents.

In response, Colin Smith, executive councillor for environment, told News Shopper: “I very much regret that the revised operating schedules for the weekend garden waste sites are as they are, as a direct result of reductions to the council’s funding by central government, with all five sites nevertheless being kept open for the busiest period of the year, the first four weeks of April.

“The Green St Green site has been retained in recognition that it is equidistant from Cray Valley and Biggin Hill, thereby providing residents living in both areas with an additional disposal option for garden waste other than the Waldo Road, which along with judicious use of the council’s innovative webcam technology to help time visits to when the site is less busy, should relieve pressure there to manageable levels as well.

“I would mention at this time that the council’s door to door collections service might also appeal to some, even though I obviously understand that the £60 subscription fee is not universally appreciated by all.

“Needless to say, that the council will of course be monitoring the effects of the changes very closely over coming weeks.”