I WRITE in response to the letter in last Friday's Advertiser entitled 'A waste of time' and highly critical of the new council waste disposal site in Cheney Manor.

I am extremely surprised at this unwarranted criticism of the site. I have spoken to a number of regular users of the site over the last few weeks that have been extremely praiseworthy of the new site, its facilities and the real sense that this council is now fully committed to improving its recycling rates.

Previously when taking my own rubbish to the Barnfield site others and I always seemed to have to wait in large, timely queues that began on the main approach road. With the opening of this new site this is simply not the case. The criticism of the steel pillars is also unwarranted if you watch the operation at the site I simply cannot understand this observation.

I do think that congratulations are in order and not in the negative manner of the letter published last Friday.

Congratulations are in order to the Swindon Services management and staff of the facility who worked very hard to ensure a very smooth and successful transition from the old site to the new and who are very approachable at the site if any resident has a query or concern; to the designers of the site who have more than halved queuing times and improved signage/information for residents; to the council for its increased commitment to recycling through this particular site and its targets for improved efficiency within this area.

The operation deserves to be positively congratulated which I am sure that most Swindonians will do by helping the council and visiting the site in ever more increasing numbers.

Coun Wayne Lawley

Haydon Wick Ward

Swindon Borough Council