BOLTON'S tips have been back open for residents to drop off bagged general waste only for 11 days now after being closed for a period during the lockdown.

Raikes Lane Household Waste and Recycling Centre has been open daily and Salford Road centre has welcomed people at weekends.

Queues have been limited at both sites, which are using a four-week rota system based on odd and even number plates, and diversions have been removed near the Raike Lane centre.

Bolton Council is now in talks to decide what recycling services to reintroduce to the site.

Cabinet member for environmental service delivery and regulatory, Cllr Adele Warren, said: "We are looking to expand what people can take to the centres.

"We want to return the services as quickly as possible but it needs to be as safe as possible.

"Safety is the number one thought.

"We have had a lot of feedback from people who have said they feel safe and the operations at the tips are quite seamless."

Cllr Warren added that making more bays available which could have an impact on social distancing, fire hazards and logistics will all be taken into account by the local authority when it decides to allow more types of waste to be dropped off at the centres.