If you own a van for private use and use the Brunel Road (Newton Abbot), Knowle Hill (Exmouth), Sutton Barton (Honiton) or Sidmouth Recycling Centres from Monday 4 July you will need a permit – and from today you can apply, online, for free.
The new permit asks those living in the Devon County Council administrative area with privately registered panel vans or flat-bed vans, to hold a permit to use these sites. The system has been in operation at Exton Road and Pinbrook Road (both Exeter) since April.
It’s being introduced to help reduce commercial waste from being deposited at the sites at public expense. It will also help make it easier for residents, to use the sites by reducing queues and congestion.
Once the permit has been received, the holder will be entitled to a total of 12 visits over the next 12 months. The permits will only be issued to vans registered to individual residents and not to vehicles registered to businesses.
Cars, pick-ups, bicycles, motorcycles, fully-fitted campervans and minibuses, vans modified for wheelchairs and van-based people carriers 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 Cabinet Member responsible for Waste Management 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 Devon's Customer Service Centre on 0345 155 1010 for further information.