Sandwell Council is introducing an online booking system from next Monday for anyone visiting the tip at Shidas Lane in Oldbury.

The new booking system will help the council, and its environmental service partners, maximise the numbers of customers able to access the site while reducing the waiting times.

It will also help reduce the number of non-residents visiting the site and minimise the impact the long queues are having on local businesses and residents. Councillor Maria Crompton, deputy leader for Sandwell Council, said:

“The decision was taken to put in an online booking system which will give us the flexibility to control the number of people visiting the tip and also reduce congestion on the local road network.

“The demand for the tip has been extremely high since it reopened and the queues were having a huge impact on local businesses and residents – a booking system will help to alleviate this and will also stop people who do not live in Sandwell visiting the tip and adding to the queue and extra costs to the council and Serco.

“Once we have things up and running we will look at increasing access for those people with vans and trailers, which we are unable to do under the current system.

“We hope the new booking system will make it easier for residents as well as help us manage the process and also prevent long queues at the site.”

The tip is open every day from 8am to 4pm and local residents must book online to visit the tip, otherwise they will be refused entry.