West Bridgford Tip (Rugby Road Recycling Centre): Opening Times, Rules and What You Can Take
Closing time changes with the season: 4pm, 6pm or 8pm. See the full table below.
Rugby Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7HX
- Open
- Every day from 8am, including Sundays and bank holidays. Closed 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
- Closes
- 8pm April to September, 6pm in March and October, 4pm November to February.
- Who can use it
- Nottinghamshire County residents with a registered vehicle. Not Nottingham City residents.
- Booking
- Not needed for cars. Hire vans need 24 hours' notice. All vans must book from 2 January 2027.
- Queues
- It's a small, busy site. Weekends and warm weather are the worst times.
- Phone
- No direct site number. Council customer services: 0300 500 80 80.
West Bridgford Recycling Centre on Rugby Road is the only council tip in Rushcliffe, so it serves West Bridgford, Lady Bay, Gamston, Edwalton, Ruddington, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Bingham, Keyworth and every village around them. It's run by Nottinghamshire County Council with its contractor Veolia. It's free, but it's one of the busiest and most cramped tips in the county, and the council itself says the queues cause problems at busy times.
This guide covers the opening hours for every month, how to register, the van rules (which change in January 2027), the DIY limits, what you can and can't take, how to avoid the queues, and what to do if the tip isn't worth the hassle.
West Bridgford tip opening times
West Bridgford opens at 8am every day. The closing time depends on the month, and it's the same on weekdays, weekends and bank holidays. The only days it shuts are Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. You don't need to book a slot if you're in a car.
| Months | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| January and February | 8am | 4pm |
| March | 8am | 6pm |
| April to September | 8am | 8pm |
| October | 8am | 6pm |
| November and December | 8am | 4pm |
Queues and the best time to go
Rugby Road is a small site squeezed in among houses, and it handles more waste than almost any other tip in Nottinghamshire. The county council has described it as no longer fit for purpose because of vehicles queuing to get in at busy times, and residents have long complained about queues backing onto the surrounding roads, especially at weekends and in warm weather.
- Quietest: weekday mornings and summer evenings.
- Busiest: Saturday and Sunday late mornings, bank holidays, and sunny spring weekends when everyone's doing the garden.
- Sort your waste before you set off. On a cramped site, unloading quickly makes a big difference.
Don't want to spend Saturday in a queue?
Licensed local companies will load it and take it away, often the same week. Tell us what needs to go and we'll get you up to 3 free quotes from companies covering West Bridgford.
Get free quotes in West Bridgford →How to register for West Bridgford tip
You can't just turn up in any vehicle. Staff check registration numbers, and an unregistered vehicle may be turned away. Registering is free and takes a few minutes:
- Create an online account on the Nottinghamshire County Council website, or log in if you already have one.
- Fill in the recycling centre registration form with your vehicle's registration number.
- That's it. You can use West Bridgford, or any other county recycling centre, straight away. There's no paper permit.
You can register up to two vehicles per household. Not online? Call Nottinghamshire County Council on 0300 500 80 80 and they'll register you over the phone.
Who can use West Bridgford tip
It's for Nottinghamshire County residents, which includes everyone in Rushcliffe. It's not for people who live in the Nottingham City Council area. That catches out people just across the river: if you live in The Meadows, Clifton or Wilford and pay council tax to Nottingham City, you need the city tip on Redfield Road in Lenton instead.
The tip is for household waste only. Trade and business waste isn't accepted, even in your own car.
Vans, trailers and the 2027 van booking system
- Cars: just register and turn up.
- Trailers: allowed behind a car or minibus, up to 3m long and 2m wide. Not allowed behind vans or pick-ups.
- Hire vans: you must apply for temporary access at least 24 hours before your visit.
- From 2 January 2027: every van will need a pre-booked appointment at county recycling centres.
On a site as tight as Rugby Road, turning up in a van without the right access is the quickest way to waste a morning.
DIY and rubble limits
You can bring small amounts of waste from DIY jobs you did yourself. Per visit, the county limit is two 50-litre bags of DIY waste, or one item no bigger than 2,000mm × 750mm × 700mm (about the size of a bath). You're limited to four visits per household in any four-week period.
"DIY" means minor repairs. A bathroom rip-out, a knocked-through wall or a new kitchen counts as renovation waste, and that isn't accepted beyond the small-DIY limit.
Renovating? Two bags a visit won't go far
A kitchen or bathroom refit can mean a dozen trips, and you only get four a month. Get quotes to have the lot collected in one go, or compare skip hire.
Get builders' waste quotes →What you can take to West Bridgford tip
- General household waste and recycling (paper, card, glass, plastics, cans)
- Garden waste: grass, branches, hedge trimmings, soil and turf
- Wood, scrap metal, furniture and carpets
- Fridges and freezers, as long as they're empty (not glass-topped, commercial glass-fronted, or missing their motor)
- Large electrical appliances and TVs
- Small appliances such as kettles, toasters and microwaves: the county council says its recycling centres can't accept these at the moment, so check before you take them
- Clothes and textiles, batteries, light bulbs, engine oil and cooking oil
- Small amounts of DIY waste, within the limits above
Getting rid of a fridge? Recycling capacity is tight nationally in 2026. Our fridge freezer guide covers every option, including Rushcliffe's collection prices.
What West Bridgford tip won't take
- Trade or business waste, even in a car
- Renovation and building waste beyond the small-DIY limit
- Car tyres, which no Nottinghamshire recycling centre accepts
- Glass-topped fridges, commercial display fridges, or fridges without their motor
- Waste from Nottingham City addresses
If what you've got falls into one of these, you'll need a licensed rubbish removal company. See your options below.
Is West Bridgford tip closing or moving?
Not yet. Nottinghamshire County Council has looked at replacing Rugby Road with a bigger site on land next to the Gamston Highways Depot, by the A52, because of the queues and lack of space. The council has said no existing site will close until a better replacement is open, and no opening date has been set. For now, Rugby Road is open as normal.
If you need more than West Bridgford tip can handle
The tip is great for a boot-load. It's not always the right answer, though:
| Your situation | Why the tip might not fit | Better option |
|---|---|---|
| Full house, loft or garage clear-out | Lots of trips, queues every time, and only four DIY visits a month | House clearance |
| Kitchen, bathroom or extension work | Renovation waste isn't accepted beyond two bags | Builders' waste or skip hire |
| Big garden clear-out | Soil, turf and branches mean several loads and a messy car | Garden waste removal |
| No van, or can't lift heavy items | You load, drive, queue and unload it all yourself | Rubbish removal |
| Sofa, wardrobe or fridge freezer | Won't fit in the car, and Rushcliffe charges up to £38.70 for a tall fridge collection | Appliance collection |
| Landlord, letting agent or business | Trade waste isn't accepted at any council tip | Commercial waste |
It's worth doing the maths. Once you add van hire, fuel, a queue on Rugby Road, and a second or third trip, a "free" tip run often isn't much cheaper than having someone collect the lot in one go. A licensed collection means someone else does the loading, lifting and driving, and you get your weekend back.
Compare licensed collection in West Bridgford
Get fixed quotes from vetted, fully licensed local companies covering West Bridgford, Lady Bay, Gamston, Edwalton, Ruddington and the rest of Rushcliffe. No obligation, just a fair price to get it gone.
Get free quotes in West Bridgford →Can't face the tip run? Get waste removal quotes in West Bridgford
The tip is the cheapest option when it works. When it doesn't, you have three realistic options:
- Rushcliffe council collection. £25.80 for one bulky item and £12.80 for each extra one. Appliances are priced separately: £26.90 for a washing machine or under-counter fridge, and £38.70 for a tall fridge freezer. Crews collect from outside only. See our council collection guide.
- A skip. Worth it for a renovation you'll fill over days, if you've got a driveway. See skip hire vs man and van.
- A licensed waste removal company. They load it from wherever it is and take it away, usually at a time that suits you, and they'll take mixed loads the tip won't. This is what we compare for you.
Fill in the form, or call 07348 454816, and we'll pass your details to up to three licensed local companies covering your postcode so they can quote.
Only use a registered waste carrier
Your waste is your responsibility until it's disposed of properly. If you hand it to an unregistered carrier and it's later fly-tipped, you can be fined. Before anyone takes your waste, check them on the Environment Agency register and get a receipt. More in our fly-tipping guide.
Other tips near West Bridgford
Your registration works at all 12 county recycling centres, so if Rugby Road is rammed, these are your nearest alternatives:
| Recycling centre | Address |
|---|---|
| Beeston | Lilac Grove, Beeston NG9 1PF |
| Calverton | Hollinwood Lane, Calverton NG14 6NR |
| Hucknall | Wigwam Lane, Hucknall NG15 7SZ |
Nottingham City residents should use Redfield Road. For every tip in the area in one place, see our Nottingham tips and recycling centres guide.
Questions people ask about West Bridgford tip
Is West Bridgford tip open on Sundays?
Yes. West Bridgford Recycling Centre on Rugby Road opens every day of the year, including Sundays and bank holidays, apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Sunday hours are the same as weekdays.
What time does West Bridgford tip close?
It opens at 8am every day. It closes at 4pm in January, February, November and December, 6pm in March and October, and 8pm from April to September.
Do I need to book to visit West Bridgford tip?
Not in a car. Pre-booking at West Bridgford stopped in November 2021. You do need to register your vehicle with Nottinghamshire County Council first. Hire vans need temporary access at least 24 hours before, and from 2 January 2027 all vans will need a booked slot.
Can Nottingham City residents use West Bridgford tip?
No. West Bridgford is a Nottinghamshire County site. If you pay council tax to Nottingham City Council, including in The Meadows, Clifton or Wilford, you need to use the city recycling centre on Redfield Road in Lenton.
When is West Bridgford tip least busy?
Weekday mornings and summer evenings are usually quietest. Weekend late mornings, bank holidays and sunny spring weekends are the busiest, and queues can back onto the surrounding roads.
How much DIY waste can I take to West Bridgford tip?
Up to two 50-litre bags of DIY waste, or one item no bigger than 2,000mm by 750mm by 700mm, per visit, with a maximum of four visits per household in any four-week period. Renovation waste beyond that isn't accepted.
Is West Bridgford tip closing?
Not at the moment. Nottinghamshire County Council has looked at replacing the Rugby Road site with a bigger one next to the Gamston Highways Depot, but it has said no existing site will close until a better replacement is open, and no date has been set.
Can I take a fridge to West Bridgford tip?
Yes, as long as it's empty. County recycling centres don't accept glass-topped fridges, commercial glass-fronted fridges or fridges missing their motor. Rushcliffe Borough Council will also collect one from outside your home for £26.90 (under-counter) or £38.70 (tall).
What is the phone number for West Bridgford tip?
There's no direct number for the site. For registration, van access and questions, call Nottinghamshire County Council customer services on 0300 500 80 80.
Prefer someone else to do the loading?
If a trip to Rugby Road isn't practical (no van, too much to carry, no time to queue, or it's waste the tip won't take), Compare Waste Nottingham connects you with up to 3 vetted, fully licensed local companies. You compare real collection quotes side by side, for free.
📞 Call 07348 454816 or get free quotes online here.
This page is an independent guide and isn't run by or affiliated with Nottinghamshire County Council, Rushcliffe Borough Council or Veolia. Rules can change, so check the council's pages before a big trip: West Bridgford Recycling Centre, using the recycling centres and Rushcliffe collection charges.