Improvements will be made to the Letchworth tip in a bid to alleviate traffic issues on Blackhorse Road.

Herts County Council announced its plans this morning to redesign the household waste recycling centre by increasing the amount of drop off points from 13 to 28 and making more room for people’s rubbish.

The county council – which manages the site – decided to cut costs by altering the opening hours of tips in the area from the start of the year, meaning the Letchworth facility is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the Stevenage site is shut on Thursdays and Fridays.

Over the past six months drivers have grown increasingly frustrated after spending hours queueing onto the site, while nearby businesses have struggled because of traffic issues.

Councillor Richard Thake, responsible for waste management at County Hall, said: “Our household waste recycling centre at Letchworth is a very well-used service for residents but we know that queuing at this small site is sometimes a problem.

“We’ve explored options to extend the site but the land that could be possibly available next to the centre is not suitable.

“Even if it was, extending the centre would be a very expensive and lengthy process due to the planning and environmental considerations.

“Ultimately while relocation of the centre remains a priority, we’ve identified some short-term measures to improve the site’s performance.

“By removing old and failing compaction equipment and rethinking the site’s layout, we’re able to increase the number of drop off points from 13 to 28, which should significantly reduce queuing on the road outside the site.

“There will also be improved access to the containers and additional capacity for recyclable materials, meaning visitors can dispose of their waste faster and spend less time at the centre.

“I believe this is good news for local residents as these changes should significantly improve the site.”

The improvements – which will be made in early December – will take four days to complete and will coincide with the quietest period at the centre.

Due to work taking place while the tip is not in operation, the centre will be unavailable for two days.