Commercial (trade) waste collection and presentation restrictions

New commercial waste presentation requirements – Green Area city centre

Oxford City Council has changed the commercial (trade) waste restriction area in the city centre. This change was made in response to the impact of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, to improve the city centre visually, ensure that it is easier to cleanse, remove the build-up of environmental nuisances and improve public safety.

The new system simplifies the presentation times within the affected streets which will reduce the waste in the city centre during high footfall times, limit waste on our streets during the evening economy and continue to support the high standards of our street cleansing regime.  

These requirements only apply to the green area on the map below.  There are no longer any other presentation restrictions in the city centre.

Map showing area of commercial waste collection restrictions in Oxford city centre

Streets marked in the green area on the map are: Hythe Bridge Street, Park End Street, Worcester Street (south only), George Street Mews, New Road, Gloucester Green, Chain Alley, St Georges Place, Gloucester Street, Bulwarks Lane, George Street, New Inn Hall Street, Shoe Lane, Bonn Square, St Michaels Street, Queen Street, Cornmarket, Frewin Court, Magdalen Street, Friars Entry, Market Street, Ship Street, Turl Street, Blue Boar Street, Bear Lane, Alfred Street, King Edwards Street, St Aldate's ( junction with Pembroke Street), High Street (up to Magpie Lane junction).

In the green area the following restrictions apply:

  • No waste is to be presented between 10am and 6pm onto the highway. You will need to arrange with your waste collector and agree a time that you are presenting your waste is onto the highway for collection that abides by the time restrictions in force.
  • This waste needs collecting within 2 hours of being put out so that it is not left out to cause a nuisance.
  • All bins must have the name of your business securely labelled on them. Additionally any bags also need to be identifiable to an officer from which business they originated. This can be the name of the business or an identifier marked or printed onto the bags.

Businesses must remove their uncollected waste from the highway. You then need to contact your waste collection provider regarding the missed collection and re-present during the times allowed.

We have put restrictions in place to help prevent concerns over the anti-social impact of storing waste on public highways in the city centre during busy periods.

Problems include: 

  • abuse by passers-by
  • increased risk of scavenging and infestation by pests
  • littering.

Enforcement

We are committed to working with businesses and commercial waste companies to ensure that no waste is left on the streets outside the time frames specified.

If waste is mispresented, enforcement action may be taken under; section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and other legislation as may be appropriate in the circumstances.