Cheshire East Council has confirmed plans to reduce queues and improve safety at tips in the borough.

At a meeting on January 29, the council's Environment and Communities Committee agreed to give delegated authority to officers to make changes to the household waste recycling centre booking system.

It is hoped these changes will help manage demand more evenly throughout the week while keeping the full capacity of the service available to residents.

Councillor David Jefferay, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said: "We know how frustrating queues can be, and we want our household waste recycling centres to be as safe and easy to use as possible.

"These changes will help us manage traffic better, reduce pressure on busy roads and make visits more straightforward for residents."

The council says that since the weekend-only booking system was introduced in 2024, many residents have chosen to visit recycling centres at the start of the week instead.

This has resulted in queues building up on nearby roads, particularly in Macclesfield and Crewe.

Following Thursday's meeting, the council will work on making adjustments, which may include:

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• Extending the booking system to cover 7 days a week
• Introducing booking requirements at peak times
• Making changes to the booking system for only some of the HWRC sites

Initial trials are expected to begin in February.

Councillor Jefferay added: "By keeping the booking system, but making it work better, we can cut queues, make it more convenient for residents, and manage demand more effectively.

"It also gives our site staff more time to check for traders and non Cheshire East residents, support higher recycling rates by sorting more materials, and tackle fly tipping at site entrances."