Thousands sign petition to stop Billingshurst tip closure

West Sussex County Council announced in November that it was considering shutting two of its 11 household waste and recycling sites to save money.

Now fears that the Billingshurst rubbish tip could be one of them have led Horsham and Crawley Liberal Democrats to fight to keep it open with a Save The Tip petition.

More than 2,000 people have so far signed it.

The Lib Dem group, in a statement urging people to sign the petition, said: “Another sad example of the lack or reduction of infrastructure in West Sussex and Horsham District is the potential closing of Billingshurst household waste recycling site on Newbridge Road near Jubilee Fields.

“The Conservative led West Sussex County Council and Horsham District Council are pitting against each other in another lack of co-ordinated effort to look after our local area.

“Shutting the site would mean a loss of important services, not just for Billingshurst village itself but across all our rural neighbourhood and increase the potential for fly-tipping in the county.”

Chris Geeson, Lib Dem candidate for Billingshurst in the upcoming county counci elections said: “The Billingshurst Household Waste and Recycling Centre is an important piece of infrastructure for the village and surrounding areas.

“Losing the tip would lead to further travel and queues. This is not something we should be considering in the current climate change era.

“It would also lead to further fly-tipping, the bill of which would be picked up by Horsham District Council.

“The costs saved for these potential proposals would simply transfer to another council. We really should have better linked up planning from the two Conservative councils.”

Horsham councillor Philip Circus has already called for the tip to stay open. He warned that there would be ‘massive problems’ if they county council went ahead and shut the tip.

He also called for Horsham’s Hop Oast tip to be expanded to cope with demand. Cars requently queue back onto the A24 waiting to get into the site.

A final decision on which tips – if any – will close will be made in February.