Firm's consider moving out as recycling centre jams cause traffic nightmare at South Shields industrial estate

Companies in Throckley Way in Middlefields Industrial Estate, Tyne Dock, South Shields, say they face a battle of up to an hour to get in and out of their units because of a cut in hours at the Recycling Village.

The queues have been blamed on reduced opening hours at the site - shortened from 8am to 8pm to 9am to 6pm - and the £30 green bin collection fee residents in South Tyneside now have to pay to have their garden waste taken away.

The issue has led some to drive their vehicles up the wrong side of the road to beat the queues.

South Tyneside Council has admitted the site has become busier and has agreed to open the tip earlier and also says it will enter talks with the businesses.

Carparts Trade Supplies has 10 vans and two motorbikes going to and from the unit each hour.

It says it is losing thousands of pounds each week through the delays, as well as through counter sales.

Joanne Byrne, office administrator, said: “We are waiting 45 minutes or an hour to get in.

“That’s a long time, and the other problem is that people are going on the wrong side of the road, which is illegal, but if you need to do a timed delivery, that’s what they do.

“The council say there’s nothing they can do, but it’s strangulating business.

“If this is going to continue then we’ll have to look at moving from this location.

“It’s three hours they have taken off the day and when people get to the recycling village, it’s having a massive impact on them as well because it’s only office hours when they can get to the tip.”

Glendale Transport, which delivers and collects pallets, has around 25 vehicles going to and from the unit each day.

It has up to 300 accounts and says the issue impacts on the businesses it serves.

Matt Douglass, who works for the firm, said: “We are considering moving because we just can’t get our fleet back and forward.

“That is our whole reputation and service, if we can’t make our deliveries on time or make collections.”

He has contacted the council on several occasions, but has not received a response.

A council spokesperson said: “We appreciate the frustrations.

“The Recycling Village generally gets busier at this time of year when the weather gets warmer and people have a good clear out at home.

“Local road works are also having an impact on traffic in the area.

“To help address immediate demand, we have opened the site one hour earlier from 8am this week and are providing additional ‘meet and greet’ staff to help direct visitors to available spaces and dispose of their waste as quickly and safely as possible.

“We are also in talks with local businesses with the intention of setting up a Middlefields User Group to discuss issues and future plans.

“We hope that these measures will help to alleviate some of the problems.

“However, we would encourage people to avoid peak periods where possible and visit between 9.30am and 11am or after 4pm during the week.”