City of York Council has published early feedback from the first three months of its booking system trial at Hazel Court Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).
City of York Council has published early feedback from the first three months of its booking system trial at Hazel Court Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), showing strong satisfaction rates alongside areas to develop as the trial continues.
The data, based on several hundred resident responses, shows:
- 86% of users satisfied - 71% of users are very satisfied and a further 15% fairly satisfied with the overall booking experience
- An even higher 92% satisfaction rate for the on‑site visit itself, with 82% very satisfied and 10% fairly satisfied
- More than 8 in 10 residents (83%) report spending less time waiting to enter the site compared to previous visits
- The system is helping to reduce queues for residents and businesses and manage peak-time congestion, while feedback is actively shaping improvements to make it work better for everyone.
Longer-term data – including visitor numbers, waste volumes and tonnage – will be needed to fully understand the impact of the changes before any permanent decisions are taken, following the current trial.
While feedback on site staff and the experience once at Hazel Court is overwhelmingly positive, we have already made some changes in response to this, including bringing available booking slots earlier into the online booking process and introducing additional accessibility measures at the site.
Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Jenny Kent, said:
It’s great to see that a significant majority of residents using the booking system reporting shorter waits and positive experiences on site. In addition to high satisfaction rates with the booking process, this shows the trial is working well for residents, helping us manage peak demand and keeping traffic moving around Hazel Court.
“We also know this is a significant change and it’s important we listen to feedback and continue to develop the system.
“Ultimately, this is about making sure York’s recycling facilities work efficiently for residents, businesses and the wider road network. We’ll continue to review all the data – including usage and waste volumes over time – before making any long‑term decisions.”
Ian Hoult, Head of Environmental Services at City of York Council, said:
We’re pleased to see a strong majority of residents are seeing shorter wait times and a positive experience once on site. At the same time, we recognise that the booking system itself needs to be as simple, flexible and accessible as possible, and we are continuing to refine it based on feedback.”
Tom Gotts, Managing Director of the Rothwell Group York, a local business operating near Hazel Court - said:
The introduction of the booking system has drastically improved the experience around Hazel Court. It has saved my business hours of time sat in queues, and the booking system makes much more sense for all businesses operating around the area. We’d like to see it made permanent.”
The Hazel Court booking system is being trialled for 12 months. The council will continue to monitor:
- usage levels and waste volumes
- queueing and traffic patterns
- resident and business feedback
- accessibility and inclusion
Towthorpe HWRC continues to operate without a booking system. While we have seen a small increase in visits to Towthorpe Household Waste Recycling Centre in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year, the average number of visits per day has not risen significantly.
There continues to be a good availability for bookings at Hazel Court HWRC.
You can provide feedback when you visit Hazel Court HWRC or make a booking, and this will be used to help shape the service during the trial.
The 3 months feedback can be viewed via the York Open Data platform.