AN Independent councillor representing Saltford on Bath and North East Somerset Council has criticised the local authority’s decision to build a new waste facility on Locksbrook Road in Bath.

Cllr Chris Warren has expressed concern over the impact of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s waste and recycling projects on the village of Saltford.

He said: “For years, the council’s own decisions around the expansion and location of waste and recycling depots across the district has had a negative impact on the village of Saltford.”

“When I was Chair of Saltford Parish Council we met with B&NES who were project managing the replacement tip at Pixash Lane, Keynsham. This was a year before work even started. After sitting through a presentation, we were asked if we had any questions.”

“Yes, I replied, ‘Where is the rail siding to take the waste away by train, as the site is right next to the GWR mainline?’ I was met with blank expressions. It had not even been considered. Also, there was actually nothing wrong with the existing tip, the communities had been using it for years with no issues.”

“As far as I was concerned the project had failed at the first hurdle and Saltford was to be condemned to a big increase in refuse trucks passing through the village transporting all of Bath’s waste to the Keynsham site.”

“This has come to pass as many vehicles per day access the regional recycling centre.”

The hugely expanded recycling centre at Pixash Lane is close to housing and a care home. The A4 road running between Bath and Keynsham, through Saltford, struggled with capacity even before the site was opened yet now with Hygge Park and the soon to be built Curo development more and more traffic is being re-directed on the A4 with little regard to the implications for traffic levels.

“We now learn,” added Chris, “that the long-promised replacement tip for the Midland Road site in Bath has been given planning permission by the planning committee - despite widespread opposition to it and it being smaller than the original.”

The new Locksbrook Road facility will only accept 9 of the 31 waste categories that were accepted at Midland Road, and a 20 per cent overall reduction in volume. Many local residents and opposition councillors now fear that the excess waste will head through Saltford, putting even more pressure on local roads.

“So that means more car and lorry movements along the A4, more emissions, less recycling as Bath residents may dispose of their rubbish elsewhere. Also don’t forget that a significant proportion of the waste taken to the Locksbrook Road site will be processed at Pixash Lane, so in effect we get all of Bath’s waste plus the wider B&NES region,” added Chris.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has spent £60-million on the new Pixash Lane site and £10-million on the new Locksbrook Road, so far.