A West Norfolk councillor has criticised a plan to move a recycling centre across a road, saying the council needs to 'move with the times',

Eastern Daily Press: The recycling centre at Saddlebow, near King's Lynn. Picture: Matthew Usher.The recycling centre at Saddlebow, near King's Lynn. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2014)

Alexandra Kemp, Norfolk County Councillor for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South, has set out what she believes are important improvements needed when the household waste site on Willow Road is relocated.

Miss Kemp said: 'Norfolk County Council needs to move with the times, so thought needs to be given to improved design to make the new household waste recycling site more user-friendly.

'They should construct a platform with raised bins so people can tip the products into the bins. This works well for residents in other areas and should be introduced here. They should think about incorporating an automatic lifting platform to bins.'

Parking and public transport are also an issue that Miss Kemp thinks the council needs to consider.

She said: 'Residents also want more parking spaces close to the bins. This should be easy to achieve, but what was really needed on this site was a park and ride, to relieve congestion and air pollution in Lynn but the government decided that there will now be a power station next door and this is why the household waste site is to be moved.

'Another madness is the transport plan thinking about opening a bus lane to general traffic. The Harding's Way road is used for people to walk to town, as well as the disabled community, who use the road independently to go to the town as it isn't used by through traffic. Take that away and you are taking their independence and quality of life.'

Miss Kemp would like to see the council have discussions with EP, which wants to build the power site, and to lobby for these extra improvements to be funded by the move.

A Norfolk County council spokesman did not comment on the calls for improvements to the recycling site, but said: 'Proposals for park and ride services are considered as one element of a package of measures that, together, provide a co-ordinated approach to transport. The borough and county council are currently carrying out a study to devise a strategy for the town and are considering a range of ideas for the King's Lynn area including options for park and ride.'