A WEST Fife councillor has said he is "up for a fight" to keep a local recycling centre open if it cannot expand.

Cllr David Barratt, who represents Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, has raised concerns after Fife Council announced that they would implement a booking system for Dalgety Bay Recycling Centre.

The decision to introduce a booking system from Monday next week, July 29, was made due to health and safety concerns for managing traffic within the site and vehicles queuing on Ridge Way.

“So the council has essentially said that the site is of capacity, there’s too much demand for the size of the site that’s there," he commented.

“I have put forward other solutions.”

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One of the solutions put forward by him was to open the site at lunchtime, as currently it closes each day between 12.30pm and 1.15pm.

Cllr Barratt says that the lunchtime closures result in people turning up a few minutes early and having to wait to get into the recycling centre, which can create a queue.

He told the Press: “The council are saying that the site is over capacity and isn’t big enough to serve the area and are introducing a booking system to deal with it.

“They are suggesting it needs a bigger site to serve the area and they don’t believe there is scope to extend the site. I disagree.”

Cllr Barratt wants the council to look into extending the site into adjacent land.

He explained in a recent Facebook post: “The council appears to be saying this isn't likely to be possible in Dalgety Bay, so could see the site close.”

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There have also been three incidents this year in the recycling centre.

“One related to somebody tripping on a kerb, another tripping over items they were recycling, and another reversing into a parking bay and going beyond the kerb line and hit a member of staff," he added.

“Any of those incidents could have happened regardless of how many cars were entering the site.

“The decision to go to a booking system isn’t immediately obvious to me.”

Fife Council’s recycling centres are managed on behalf of Fife Council by Cireco.

Councillor Jan Wincott, Fife Council spokesperson for climate change and environment, said: "Following a number of incidents at the Dalgety Bay Recycling Centre, a new advance booking system is being put in place to better manage demand at the recycling centre. 

"This booking system will ensure that there is less congestion, and long queues, for residents attending the site, and it is expected to help further improve recycling rates. We thank residents for their patience and co-operation as the new system comes into effect."

Posting on Facebook, Cllr Barratt said of his attempts to encourage the council to look at extending the site: “I'm not filled with optimism, but I'm up for a fight.”