NEW bottle banks have been installed across Huddersfield – as Kirklees Council ends its glass collection service.

The final doorstep collections of boxes filled with glass take place this week and some 40 new community recycling sites are being put in place across the area.

It is part of a project by the council to expand its network of recycling facilities right across the district.

But they have fallen foul of some people.

Three of the new huge bottle bins have been placed in a car park at Springwood – right on top of one of the disabled parking spaces.

One angry driver said: “It is unfair that the disabled have again been penalised.”

A council spokesman said: “The bottle banks have been put in at this location as the two disabled spaces there were not being used.

“There are already other disabled parking places elsewhere within the Springwood car parks and the intention is to find a more suitable location with better access for the two spaces being removed.”

Council officers say the project, which sees the number of glass recycling sites grow by 40% to over 160, now puts 95% of all Kirklees residents within 1km of their nearest bottle bank – and for 60% of residents, closer still within 500 metres.

The decision to scrap the monthly collection service means that more than 100,000 households will have to take their own glass to the recycling sites.

Clr David Sheard, Lead Cabinet Member for Resources said: “I am pleased to see that most of our new bottle banks have now been installed, bringing recycling facilities into the heart of most communities.

“There are still some parts of the district where we would like to have more, but as most main branches of the major supermarkets now have recycling facilities for their customers on site, we’re doing whatever we can to make recycling sustainable and convenient for our residents.”

The existing household glass collection service will come to an end at the end of March, after the council’s decision to withdraw the service in a bid to save £468,000. Residents may keep the glass storage boxes which will be returned after the final collection.

Glass can be put in the grey bin with other household waste but must not be put in a green bin.

Clr Sheard added: “As recent public discussions about setting the council’s budget have shown, the council faces increasingly difficult decisions about essential services as central Government cuts take effect.”