Council Propose Closure of Stirling Road Tip
Opposition describe plan as 'bonkers' and launch petition against it
The recycling centre on Stirling Road in South Acton
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Ealing Council are proposing the closure of the Acton Reuse and Recycling Centre on Stirling Road.
The council says that it needs to make cuts due to its budget shortfall and therefore wants to consolidate its operation at the centre in Greenford. It claims a single tip is in line with the practice in other London Boroughs.
It is recommending to residents living in the east of the borough that they will be able to use the recycling site at Abbey Road in Park Royal. Another option would be the Townsmead Road centre in Mortlake.
A substantial amount of new development has recently been approved around the site of the Stirling Road tip which is believed to have increased land values in the area. Ealing Council recently gave permission for TfL to proceed with a massive development on Bollo Lane of over 800 flats which will include ten tower blocks over 25 storeys high. Other planning applications for skyscrapers of an equivalent height in the vicinity of the centre are pending approval.
No indication has been given by the council as to the timescale for closure or the intended use of the site.
Liberal Dem councillor Jon Ball says, "This proposal is bonkers. There is a climate emergency. Making it harder for our residents to recycle and forcing them to drive from one end of the borough to the other to do so is crazy. We must save Acton tip."
He claims the Greenford centre will not have the capacity to meet the additional demand so this will lead to delays in booking a slot there or huge queues generating air pollution.
A petition has been launched by the Liberal Democrats in opposition to the closure.
The Conservatives in the borough are also opposing the closure and have launched their own petition.
Cllr Greg Stafford, Conservative Group Leader said, "This latest move to close the Acton site on Stirling Road without any form of consultation whilst recycling rates in Ealing are falling is the latest example of Labour's rubbish thinking!
"Residents in the east of the Borough will now have to reach Greenford to access their nearest re-use and recycling centre.
"Whether it is on LTNs, closing local libraries, towering overdevelopment or the closure of Stirling Road, Ealing Council just isn't listening."If London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, wins again this May, he will introduce a £12.50 ULEZ charge cutting through the centre of Ealing, meaning that Acton and Southfield residents may have to pay this extortionate charge just to access their local recycling centre!"
An Ealing Council spokesperson said, “Ealing Council is currently considering a number of budget proposals involving the boroughs waste services. One proposal includes consolidating waste and recycling operations to one main site at the larger Greenford Reuse and Recycling Centre, bringing Ealing in line with other London boroughs.
“We have ensured that residents in the area will be able to use the recycling centre at Twyford Abbey Road.
“Funding from central government has fallen by 64% over the last 10 years. This means that, for every £1 the council used to receive it now gets just 36p.
“Despite these pressures, residents rightly want to see good public services and for Ealing to be a great place to live. That is why we have worked hard to ensure we can invest significantly over the coming year in recycling, highways, in providing genuinely affordable homes and supporting our most vulnerable residents.”
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February 21, 2021
