Sir – We write regarding the proposal to reduce the number of household waste recycling centres in Oxfordshire and to express our concern that to reduce the number of sites would be detrimental to the residents of Oxfordshire.

There are currently seven of these centres and there seems no sense in closing any of the sites.

We live in West Oxfordshire and regularly use the site at Dix Pit; it is well organised, much used and serves the community well. To consider closing it when the number of houses being built in the area is increasing year by year seems ludicrous.

Closure of any of the sites would mean Oxfordshire residents having to travel many miles to dispose of waste which would inevitably have a negative impact on the environment.

We are constantly being told that we should reduce vehicle mileage to limit the impact of car ownership on the environment and this proposal would have exactly the opposite effect.

Fly-tipping is a problem throughout the county and surely this would increase considerably with fewer recycling centres.

We don’t have any confidence that the county council working closely with the city and the other district councils to manage the fly-tipping problem will be successful – it hasn’t worked so far.

Does the council really want our beautiful county disfigured by discarded rubbish?

The online consultation is clearly geared to halving the recycling centres and the questions do not offer a fair or sensible choice to Oxfordshire residents.

If savings have to be made in this area, retaining all the existing sites but on reduced days open so that facilities remain local must be the answer.

Christopher and Jane Dodds
Standlake