Booking Systems at Tips
Discussion
Our council (East Sussex) is carrying out a consultation about introducing a booking system at the household waste recycling sites it operates. Needless to say the questions are loaded like "Do you want to queue less" although most people seem to have seen through the question so answer no.
They are saying a booking system means staff have to spend less time on traffic management. The only time I have seen staff on traffic management at the 2 sites nearest me is coming up to closing time when the tell any queueing traffic they wont get in. Also of course guess what, there are only queues on nice weekends when everyone has been in garden. So what do we do book in hope of nice weather or risk a late booking?
But anyway how do they work in practice. You book then when happens when you turn up? They check you in or what? Doesnt that mean more staff are needed?
They are saying a booking system means staff have to spend less time on traffic management. The only time I have seen staff on traffic management at the 2 sites nearest me is coming up to closing time when the tell any queueing traffic they wont get in. Also of course guess what, there are only queues on nice weekends when everyone has been in garden. So what do we do book in hope of nice weather or risk a late booking?
But anyway how do they work in practice. You book then when happens when you turn up? They check you in or what? Doesnt that mean more staff are needed?
snuffy said:
Whatever system the council is proposing, you will get. Any consultation will be ignored anyway.
I know that! At the last consultation on tips they consulted on closing the ones at Wadhurst and Forest Row and extending the opening hours at Crowborough so it would be open weekend afternoons.So they went ahead closed Forest Row and Wadhurst, and then refused themselves planning permission to open Crowborough longer! Lying toerags!
Anyway still wondering how booking systems work!
Chrisgr31 said:
But anyway how do they work in practice. You book then when happens when you turn up? They check you in or what? Doesnt that mean more staff are needed?
When we lived in West Sussex it was exactly that. There was a guy with a clipboard just inside the gate with a print out of the bookings for that time slot. You'd give your name and show your ID / proof of address and he'd tick you off his list.We’ve had an online booking system in place at Newbury’s recycling centre since Covid and it is great. No massive queues and rarely can you not get a short notice appointment. The worst part of it is the low tech webpage form system that WBC uses for making the appointments, with about 5 pages of waffle to click through before you actually get to put your details in (name, email, car reg).
The booking system at our local tips goes live tomorrow, lets see how well that works. Its to solve an issue that does not exist. even if you go at weekends the queues are not long. If you go midweek chances are you will be the only person there.
I guess they are now going to have to have someone on guard to check you have permission to visit, I guess they are going to need someone available on the phone to take bookings for those that don't have the internet. They will need to pay for the website and maintaining it. But hey it will save people having to queue
I guess they are now going to have to have someone on guard to check you have permission to visit, I guess they are going to need someone available on the phone to take bookings for those that don't have the internet. They will need to pay for the website and maintaining it. But hey it will save people having to queue
The booking system works great. There is much less queuing at the tip, especially during peak hours. There is always a decent amount of space to park.
I don’t really think it helps with staff, because the queue management people still need to do checks of cars driving in, and there is often a small queue.
At my local tip, the queue management people have iPads. They ask you what you have, sometimes inspect the load and tell you where to go.
I don’t really think it helps with staff, because the queue management people still need to do checks of cars driving in, and there is often a small queue.
At my local tip, the queue management people have iPads. They ask you what you have, sometimes inspect the load and tell you where to go.
Moved from somewhere with a booking system to somewhere without. Booking system is by far the better experience. Just takes a little bit of planning but means you can fly in and out with a space open for you.
I guess if you have time to go in the week you might not see the benefit but on the weekends it saves a significant chunk of your day.
I guess if you have time to go in the week you might not see the benefit but on the weekends it saves a significant chunk of your day.
Yep we're in Hampshire and have had it since Covid, as long as they don't restrict you to one visit per week or something (which they did during covid but have since dropped that rule) it works really well to be honest. We can usually book a slot the same day or a day later at worse even at the weekend, and if you want a historically popular time say late weekend afternoon, you know you won't be queueing half way down the road with everyone else that wants to do an end of day tip run. The other thing is it stops people from outside your area and trades from using it regularly without a permit, again reducing the queues.
We have to book in Edinburgh.
You get a half hourxslot to turn up. You can turn up at any point in that half hour.
When you book you give the car reg that your using for the tip run.
When you turn up the guy checks yourcreg and waves you through.
Theres usually more than enough space available ghatvyou can book the same day or even within the hour if nessesary.
You get a half hourxslot to turn up. You can turn up at any point in that half hour.
When you book you give the car reg that your using for the tip run.
When you turn up the guy checks yourcreg and waves you through.
Theres usually more than enough space available ghatvyou can book the same day or even within the hour if nessesary.
So booking systems work if there is an issue with queues, but if there isn't they just mean additional staff are needed to manage a problem that doesn't exist.
Would seem easier just to get residents to register their car then use API. That would tackle those outside the area. Having said that until booking systems were introduced I guess people outside the area went as it was the closest and most convenient one for them. They are now having to drive further to the one they should be going to so adding to emissions traffic etc instead
Would seem easier just to get residents to register their car then use API. That would tackle those outside the area. Having said that until booking systems were introduced I guess people outside the area went as it was the closest and most convenient one for them. They are now having to drive further to the one they should be going to so adding to emissions traffic etc instead
Here in Medway Kent the booking system works great as at weekends especially in the summer queues could be very long.
Also good for the environment as cars not idling for ages, only downside although it is only 2 miles away from me i have to go 6 miles each way as i am in a different council.so not good for me
Also good for the environment as cars not idling for ages, only downside although it is only 2 miles away from me i have to go 6 miles each way as i am in a different council.so not good for me
Chrisgr31 said:
So booking systems work if there is an issue with queues, but if there isn't they just mean additional staff are needed to manage a problem that doesn't exist.
Would seem easier just to get residents to register their car then use API. That would tackle those outside the area. Having said that until booking systems were introduced I guess people outside the area went as it was the closest and most convenient one for them. They are now having to drive further to the one they should be going to so adding to emissions traffic etc instead
You're grasping at straws looking for reasons why a booking system is a bad thing. Every poster so far has said it's greatly improved the process of dumping waste at the tip but you seeem determined to ignore them.Would seem easier just to get residents to register their car then use API. That would tackle those outside the area. Having said that until booking systems were introduced I guess people outside the area went as it was the closest and most convenient one for them. They are now having to drive further to the one they should be going to so adding to emissions traffic etc instead
It's 10:04 on a Sunday & I can book a slot from 11:30 all the way to 17:30 & I know there won't be a queue when I get there. Embrace it - not all change is bad.
Chrisgr31 said:
Anyway still wondering how booking systems work!
My local tip went to online booking a couple of years ago. It's an irritation not being able to go down on impulse, but when you get there the queue is indeed greatly diminished, in fact sometimes you can go straight in. It makes most sense at weekends, when demand is highest - the booking slot system evens it out over the day.So you google your local tip, find the booking calendar which is in 15 minute slots, then just click the time you want if it's available. I have to say it actually works well, at least for my area which is not massively built up (yet). You just have to be a bit more organised.
Chrisgr31 said:
But anyway how do they work in practice. You book then when happens when you turn up? They check you in or what? Doesnt that mean more staff are needed?
At my local place I used to rock up and drive straight in.Now I book, rock up for my slot and sit in a f
king queue.f
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