People using tidy tip in Leighton Buzzard will be asked to prove they live in the area

Visitors to the Leighton Buzzard tidy tip will now be asked to show proof that they live in the area.

From November 1 anyone using one of the four Central Bedfordshire tidy-tips – in Leighton Buzzard, Ampthill, Biggleswade, and Thorn Turn (Houghton Regis) – will need to bring ID.

Acceptable forms of ID include a current UK driving licence (photo card or paper licence will be accepted); a council tax bill from the current financial year; a utility bill (gas, electricity or water) which is less than a year old; current bus pass or a current disabled parking permit.

The move brings Central Bedfordshire Council in line with many neighbouring authorities, implementing its existing policy of requiring visitors to provide proof of address when using any of its Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

Lorna Carver, Director of Place and Communities, said: “Given the ever-increasing costs of running our Household Waste Recycling Centres, it’s right that our council tax payers don’t bear the costs incurred by non-Central Bedfordshire residents who use them. It will also mean that our HWRCs are under less pressure and have shorter queues, particularly at peak usage times.”

All four sites are open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm including Bank Holidays, except Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve when sites are open 9am to 1pm.

The council is encouraging residents to sign up for email alerts to be informed of waste service updates. Find more information about Central Bedfordshire’s Household Waste Recycling Centres on its website.