The arrival in Exmouth of the Tour of Britain cycle race next Thursday (11 September) means that a significant number of household* waste and recycling collections will be affected by road closures.
East Devon District Council is warning residents in properties on or close to the Tour route – a large part of central Exmouth and on or around a lengthy stretch of Salterton Road – that the normal Thursday collections will change because crews cannot get access for several hours on race day.
Some collections will be made on Wednesday, while others will happen on Thursday but at a later time than usual.
The council's Waste Management Team have discussed the issue with colleagues at waste collection contractors SITA and together they have come up with plans designed to minimise disruption caused by the road closures.
Measures to deal with the impact of the race – when Stage Five starts in Exmouth and moves on via Budleigh Salterton and Woodbury before arriving in Exeter via Topsham – have been under consideration ever since news broke that the event would be coming back to the town where Stage Five finished in 2011.
Letters are being sent to around 1,000 selected properties in the affected area, asking residents to put their waste and recycling bins out one day EARLIER than usual – on Wednesday 10 September. Only some properties will get these letters and it's quite possible that you may get a letter and your next-door neighbour does not.
Householders who do receive a letter should put their bins or sacks out in time for collection from 7.00 am on Wednesday 10 September.
If you don't receive a letter, you can assume your collection will go ahead on Thursday 11 September. You can put your bins out at the normal time, but it's very likely that the crews may collect later than usual.
If you live in the affected area and your bin is out on Thursday, it might get in the way of the thousands of spectators who are expected to line the route.
So council staff will be in the area before the stage starts and will be moving any bins, boxes or gull-proof sacks that are on the pavements. If possible, these will be moved into your front garden or driveway. If that is not possible, the container will be removed, recorded and returned after the event has finished.
Some residents have signed up to the East Devon App, which features a weekly reminder of when your bins will be emptied. The council cannot re-programme the App for a one-off event like this, so residents should take heed of the Wednesday collection letter if they get one. If you have downloaded the App, you will also receive news alerts like this press release.
Councillor Iain Chubb, cabinet member for environment, said: "Pretty much everything about the Tour of Britain coming to our area is positive – what with it being a great sporting spectacle and a boost to the local economy. If there is a minor down-side it's the effect that closing several key roads for a few hours will have on our ability to carry out the regular waste and recycling collection on 11 September.
"We believe the plans we've laid will minimise disruption to people's lives when it comes to putting out their bins, boxes or sacks.
"I hope everyone affected will be patient on this special occasion and help SITA's crews to do their job as best they can, working around the road closures caused by the race. In a nutshell, collections will either be a day early for some or a few hours late for others.
"If you get a letter, please put your items out for collection on Wednesday. If you don't get a letter, we will collect at some point on Thursday. Thanks in advance for your understanding".
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