We are constantly being urged to recycle, so what does Croydon Council do? It shuts the tip at Purley Oaks for approximately six weeks in the name of improvements to service'.

Just long enough for us diligent recyclers to rediscover how easy and tidy it is just to put the cardboard etc out for the dustmen to take away with the general rubbish.

Last Friday my conscience urged me to try out the new and improved' tip if only to get rid of the Christmas tree.

Let me tell you the new layout and the keep right/left signs, cones and no entry signs do nothing to speed the cars through.

No longer can drivers go round in a nice big circle. You have to queue up for a parking bay and having deposited your rubbish, back out into the line of cars waiting for your space. This is hazardous enough with watching out for other tippers scurrying around with their rubbish.

Then there are the new general rubbish' compacting machines these seem to fill so quickly that tippers are never sure which one is free to accept their rubbish. Still no sign of a plastic bottle bank.

In addition, I am sure that in the good old days there were only about two or three supervisory staff at most. They did a very good job making sure the people put their rubbish in the correct receptacle and sweeping up when necessary.

On Friday there seemed to be about six staff scurrying around like headless chickens, operating the new compacting machines and telling people to use the other one. The ground was filthy dirty.

I backed out narrowly missing an expensive car waiting behind me, went home and breathed a sigh of relief that I had got out in one piece.

I'm sure it won't be long before someone has an accident down there.

As I left I noticed a large queue had formed. Seven days worth of recyclers all being squeezed into Friday, Saturday and Sunday on top of the poor new route is just too much.

Mrs S Wilkin
Kendall Avenue South
Sanderstead