Residents are asked to "think long and hard" before they visit Townmead this bank holiday long weekend.

If people do visit they should check the guidance before they travel and switch off their engines whilst queuing.

In addition, all households are reminded of the bank holiday changes to their weekly collection service next week.

Townmead Road Waste and Recycling Centre reopened on Monday.

However, in order to ensure the safety of residents and staff and to ensure access to Mortlake Crematorium, there are significant rules in place regarding when and how people can access the centre.

This includes residents only able to visit on certain days, based on their car registration number (see below).

Since the centre reopened – queues have been up to two hours long at certain points of the day with over EIGHTY cars waiting in line.

New signage is being installed on the roads leading up to the Centre to remind drivers to switch off their car engines whilst queuing.

Townmead will be open from 8am – 4pm on the bank holiday (Monday 25th May).

The fortnightly paid for Garden Waste collection service has also restarted and the paid for Bulky Waste collection service is now available to book online, with collections commencing on the 26th May.

As this Monday (25th May) is a bank holiday, all residents are reminded that the Council will carry out general waste, food waste and recycling collections for domestic properties one day later than usual, immediately following the bank holiday.

For example, Monday collections will happen on the Tuesday, and Tuesday collections will happen on the Wednesday. Normal collections will resume on Monday 1st June.

May Bank Holiday Collections

Monday 25th Tuesday 26th

Wednesday 27th Thursday 28th

Friday 29th Saturday 30th

Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee at Richmond Council, said:"Before leaving home to visit Townmead, it is really important that residents think carefully about unwanted items of household waste and recycling and whether keeping them at home is really causing a risk to health or the environment.

"Queues are very long at Townmead despite our process of staggering the days that people visit. Please be responsible.

"Do not go to Townmead unless you absolutely need to. If you do have to go, switch off your engine whilst queuing. We know that this is inconvenient and that you want to be rid of your items.

"But if you can hang on to them for a week or two longer, or consider using the Green or Bulky Waste services, we can all make sure that those who really need to use the centre can get there.

"Please also think respectfully about those who will be travelling to the neighbouring Crematorium which shares an access road with Townmead.

"There are 20 funerals taking place each day at the Crematorium, and each service has been limited to only 20 minutes.

"Please think about the impact your visit to Townmead might have: if mourners are delayed because they have been blocked by visitors to Townmead, it will be devastating for them."

Opening times for residents with 'Even' registration number plates based on 2nd digit e.g. XX52 XXX

Friday 22 May Open 8am to 4pm

Tuesday 26 May Open 8am to 4pm

Saturday 30 May Open 8am to 4pm

Opening Times for residents with 'Odd' registration number plates based on 2nd digit e.g. XX03 XXX plus old UK style, foreign, personalised etc.

Saturday 23 May Open 8am to 4pm

Wednesday 27 May Open 8am to 4pm

Sunday 31 May Open 9am to 4pm

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, if residents are self-isolating and feeling ill they should continue to put any potentially infected items (like used tissues or cleaning cloths) into separate plastic bags and double-bag them. These bags should be stored for 72 hours before being put in with general waste for collection.

For all enquiries about collections, please telephone 020 8891 1411.