We visited Market Drayton to ask for townspeople's hopes and fears for 2025 - recycling centres were a hot topic
After we ticked into 2025, the Shropshire Star visited Market Drayton to learn all about residents' hopes and wishes for the year ahead, and one subject was on everybody's lips - household recycling centres.
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Shropshire's Liberal Democrats sparked debate across the county last week after organising a petition to scrap the controversial pre-booking system that was introduced for the recycling centres by the county council earlier this year.
And, in less than 24 hours, the petition reached more than 1,000 signatures.
Market Drayton resident Ann Harrison said her hope for this year is to see a tidier countryside and believes the booking system may have had a knock-on effect on her seeing increased litter in the region.
"I want to see the countryside tidier," said Ann. "With the household recycling centres [booking system], that is restricting people. If they want to go when they have a clear-out, they want to go straight away, otherwise it is going to be left and they end up throwing it on the roadside and other places.
"I find that on the side of our road, and we are forever picking up rubbish on the road.
"I can see more rubbish being left about."
Meanwhile, Carol Reid from Sherwood Wholefoods, a hive of activity throughout the day, pointed towards the booking system being an inconvenience.
"I used to visit it regularly but when they have made it a telephone booking system, I am not going to do it, and will put things in the bin.
"I have to have a bit of time to go."
She added: "Go back to what it was before. I can understand it, and with trying to employ less people, but it is not working. For me to go online and book it is a nightmare."
