A local MP’s petition to save two busy household waste and recycling centres from closure has reached 9,000 signatures this week following uproar from the community.
Golden Butts Tip in Ilkley and Sugden End tip in Keighley were earmarked for closure by Bradford Council earlier this month as part of the Council’s proposed budget cuts to services across to the District.
But Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore has warned of “disastrous consequences” should the plans go ahead, with the local MP launching a petition alongside Ilkley resident Joanne Sugden.
Joanne added: “It will force us to drive a 20 mile round trip to Keighley, reduce recycling rates and inevitably increase fly tipping.”
The petition comes after new figures showed that there were more than 40,000 incidents of fly-tipping reported in West Yorkshire in 2022/23, with 15,000 of these reports coming from Bradford alone.
The MP and campaigners from across Keighley successfully campaigned to save Keighley Tip last year, with the group presenting the 7,000-strong "Save Keighley Tip" petition to both Bradford Council and the House of Commons before the Council U-turned on the proposals.
Residents can sign Mr Moore’s petition at robbiemoore.org.uk/SaveOurTips
Commenting on the plans, Robbie Moore MP said:
“Over 9,000 residents from across Keighley and Ilkley have now come out in opposition to these plans.
We’re clear that should these plans go ahead, there will be disastrous consequences for fly-tipping in our community.
To see Bradford Council threatening a crucial service like Golden Butts tip in Ilkley with closure whilst at the same time pushing on with their costly speed bumps plan, which the town overwhelmingly voted against, is deeply insulting.
And in Keighley, the whole community fought tooth and nail to save Keighley Tip last year. To see Bradford Council now proposing to shut Sugden End tip shows that really, they weren’t listening to local people at all.
We’re urging the Council to U-turn on these plans with immediate effect and we are hoping to get over 10,000 signatures before the consultation deadline to send the strongest message possible to Bradford Council.”
