More than 150,000 visits have been made to MK’s tips since May 2020, when a booking system was introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The council has recently confirmed the free booking system will continue beyond the pandemic. This will allow residents to avoid queues on site, which previously on peak days could mean queuing for up to 30 minutes to enter a tip.
During some busy periods the council would even need to put emergency traffic control measures in place to avoid people queuing on busy roads.
Based on attempted bookings, the council estimates as many as one in five people using MK’s tips were actually coming from outside the borough. The bookings system has stopped that misuse, as a MK address is needed to complete the booking, meaning there is less strain on local resources.
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Last month, the council updated the online booking system to make it easier to use, and customer feedback has been positive both about the new system and about the experience at the tips themselves. One local resident told MK Council: “I prefer booking my slot in advance, it’s not only saved me time but allowed me to plan ahead and I don’t have to queue like before.”
Cabinet Member for the Public Realm, Cllr Emily Darlington said: “Introducing an online booking system has helped us make visiting the tip a better and less busy experience for our residents, and it’s safer too as we can prevent queuing on the road network. We’ve updated the system itself so it’s easier to use, and we’ll continue to make sure the maximum number of safe slots are available to book.”
“By moving across to an online booking system, we have successfully improved the experience for our residents, and it’s helped to prevent queuing on the road network.”
“As national lockdown restrictions ease, more people will want to use MK’s tips.”
