If you own a private van and use the Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, South Molton, Great Torrington or Bideford Recycling Centres you will need a permit from Monday January 9 – and from today you can apply, online, for free.
You will only need to have a permit to use our sites if you own a privately registered panel van or flat-bed van. Our new system is already in operation in East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon and Teignbridge.
We’ve introduced it to help stop commercial waste from being deposited at our sites at public expense. It will also help make it easier for you to use the sites by reducing queues and congestion.
Once you have recieved the permit you will be entitled to a total of 12 visits over the next 12 months. We will only issue permits to vans registered to individual residents and not to vehicles registered to businesses.
And if you use cars, pick-ups, bicycles, motorcycles, fully-fitted campervans and minibuses, vans modified for wheelchairs and van-based people carriers you won’t need a permit.
Vans hired out by a householder also will not need a permit, but terms and conditions apply.
Councillor Roger Croad, Devon’s County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Equality, said:
“The van permit system is designed to tackle the illegal disposal of business waste at our Recycling Centres at taxpayer expense. Business waste should be disposed of at licenced, commercial facilities. Instead of restricting all panel vans, this system restricts business vehicles and allows Devon householders with privately registered panel vans to continue using the facilities. This will help us make sure that Devon residents with household waste can access the sites more easily, safely and with less queuing.”
All vehicles, including those not needing a permit, must still comply with the vehicle restrictions policy.
To apply for a permit and view all the information (including the terms and conditions) please see our van permit scheme webpage.
If you are having problems accessing the online form you can call our Customer Service Centre on 0345 155 1010 for further information.