IMPROVEMENTS to rubbish and household waste collections in the Forest could soon see unsightly recycling containers gone from one of Newent’s most picturesque locations.

Thanks to changes to kerbside recycling services, brought in last month by Forest of Dean District Council, which sees plastic bottles, cardboard, and textiles all collected from outside residents’ houses, the car park and entrance to Newent Lake is slowly improving. 

Cllr Len Lawton (Con, Newent Central) has been calling for the removal of the recycling containers that take up space in the Newent Lake car park.

He said: “Not only do the containers take up valuable car parking spaces that residents could use, they are also the worst possible welcome for tourists to the town. 

“As Newent’s main car park, it is the location that most visitors to the area stop in. It is hardly the kind of message we want to be sending to visitors who we want to stay in the area and spend their money.”

Cllr Lawton has contacted Forest council officers and secured the removal of some of the containers. His hope is for those that are left to be removed in the near future.

He said: “I recently received confirmation from officers that some of the recycling containers were being removed. Once residents get used to the new kerbside recycling scheme, when the collections are and exactly what they can include in it, I hope that the rest of the containers that take up space in the car park can also be removed.”

Cllr Lawton, who campaigned for the removal of the containers from Newent Lake car park last summer, added: “When we were unable to recycle things like textiles and plastics on the kerbside the containers in the car park served an important service, even if they were located in a less than ideal location.

“Now the recycling units provide a duplicate service as well as being an eye-sore. I hope the rest will be gone shortly so the town gets the rest of its car park back.”