Traffic concerns with Dereham tip

councillorS have voiced their misgivings about the potential impact on traffic when Dereham's new recyc-ling centre opens later this

year.

While they do not want to see any delay in work starting on the centre, some town councillors have reser-vations about how it will affect traffic flow, particularly at peak times.

It emerged at a Dereham Town Council meeting that the centre, to be built close to Roys store at the north end of Trafalgar Business Park, could be open in late autumn.

Several councillors felt that, if they opposed the scheme now, there probably would not be another chance to have the complex for another 20 years.

Planners have said the centre could deal with 6,000 tonnes of waste a year. It is reckoned that up to 500 vehicles would use the centre each day, with 72 going there during the busiest hour on a Sunday. Although highways officials have said the development is predicted to have little impact on local roads, councillor Robert Hambidge felt a mini-roundabout was needed to keep the traffic flowing.

'I think we need to push for a roundabout there, because traffic coming out of Dereham won't be able to move,' he said.

But Phillip Duigan said that, wherever the recycling centre went, it would have some effect on traffic

flow.

'This site is one where there will be as little effect as you are going to have,' he said.

Norfolk County Council has said that five full-time and two part-time jobs will be created at the centre and it will be open daily except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

The site will become Norfolk's eighth main recycling centre and will handle items including electrical equipment, car batteries, paper and car metal and garden waste and textiles.

The Dereham area has needed a new centre since the old household waste site at Beetley closed in 2004.