The system will make it more convenient for site users to plan their trips and to enable them to get access to the site at the time they have booked.

From Monday 28 February 2022 you will need to have booked a slot to dispose of household waste at the site.

The online booking system will go live from Monday 21 February for access to the site from Monday 28 February 2022.

For the initial few weeks, waste staff will still try to accommodate anyone without an appointment, but please be advised there are no guarantees and you may face a long wait. From 1 April, no-one will get access to the site unless they have made an online booking or called 0303 123 1020 to book a slot.

Chair of the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, Councillor John Anderson, said: “We appreciate that lengthy queues at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres can be incredibly frustrating for visitors.

“We believe the online booking system will help to remove that frustration, reducing congestion at the site and meaning visitors are in and out without any delays.

“We will analyse the success of this pilot and will report to future committees with recommendations based on those findings.”

During peak times, including summer months, weekends and public holidays, the demand for at Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) can be significant.

Access roads can become congested, which in turn can impact on local businesses and cause frustration among members of the public.

Five of the HWRCs are managed by Biffa on behalf of the council: Blantyre, Rutherglen, East Kilbride, Larkhall and Strathaven. The sixth site, Carluke, is managed by the council and will be the only one to take part in the pilot scheme.