Milton Keynes tips at Bleak Hall, New Bradwell and Newport Pagnell open 8am to 5pm from 1 October. You must book a slot. Vehicle rules and Christmas hours.
All three Milton Keynes recycling centres switch to winter hours on Thursday 1 October: 8am to 5pm, down from 7am to 7pm in summer. You cannot turn up unannounced at any of them. Every visit needs a booked 15 minute slot, and staff will ask for the confirmation email and proof that you live in Milton Keynes.
The quick answer
- Winter hours, 1 October to 31 March: 8am to 5pm at Bleak Hall, New Bradwell and Newport Pagnell. Summer hours, 1 April to 30 September, are 7am to 7pm.
- Booking is compulsory. Slots open seven days ahead, online or on 01908 252570. Bring the confirmation email and proof of address.
- Christmas hours for householders have not been published. The council’s trade waste page says the Newport Pagnell trade area shuts on bank holidays and closes at 1pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
The three sites and what you can drive in
The addresses, hours and vehicle rules below are from Milton Keynes City Council’s recycling centres page, read on 28 September 2026.
| Site | Address | Vehicles allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Bleak Hall | Chesney Wold, Bleak Hall, MK6 1NE | Cars under 2 metres high only. No trailers, no vans. |
| New Bradwell | Newport Road, New Bradwell, MK13 0AH | Cars, cars with a trailer, and vans, all under 2 metres high. |
| Newport Pagnell | North Crawley Road, Newport Pagnell, MK16 9HG | Main entrance: cars, cars with a trailer, and vans under 2 metres. Trade entrance: anything over 2 metres high. |
The weight limit is 3.5 tonnes at all three. A van towing a trailer is turned away everywhere. If your vehicle is over 2 metres high, Newport Pagnell’s trade entrance is the only way in.
How booking works
The council says slots “can be booked online or by telephone, up to seven days in advance”, and that new slots are released every day on a rolling basis. To book you need:
- the registration number of the vehicle you will use
- the site you want to visit
- an email address for the confirmation.
Book through the council’s online booking form or call Customer Services on 01908 252570. The same number handles changes and cancellations.
On the day, the council says you “will not be allowed on site without your confirmation email and proof of address”, and gives a driving licence as an example.
What the sites take, and the three exceptions
The council’s list covers furniture and mattresses, white goods, electricals, wood, hardcore and rubble, paint, garden and household chemicals, batteries, oil, textiles, light bulbs and general household waste. Three rules catch people out:
- Asbestos goes to New Bradwell only, securely wrapped, and only from households.
- Tyres are not accepted at Bleak Hall. Take them to New Bradwell or Newport Pagnell.
- One fridge or freezer per household. The council says a national shortage of treatment capacity means it can accept only one cooling appliance per household for now. That includes heat pumps and air conditioning units.
Gas bottles and fire extinguishers are taken only if the contents can be identified. For chemicals and other awkward items, read the council’s hazardous waste advice before you book.
Site rules
The council asks visitors to wear gloves, trousers and proper shoes. It bans mobile phones and smoking on site, hot ashes and disposable barbecues. It also says not to bring children or pets.
Christmas and New Year
The council has not published Christmas opening hours for householders. Its recycling centres page lists only the summer and winter hours, with no bank holiday exceptions.
The one published Christmas rule is for traders. The council’s trade waste page says the trade area at Newport Pagnell is closed on bank holidays, and open from 8am to 1pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. This winter’s bank holidays are Friday 25 December, Monday 28 December and Friday 1 January, according to the government’s list.
We will not assume the household sites follow the trade hours. Because slots are released seven days ahead, the booking form itself will show which Christmas days are open from the middle of December.
Real Christmas trees can go to any of the three sites. Last year the council’s Christmas collections page said trees would also be collected from the green bin, if the trunk was no more than 15cm across and the tree fitted neatly inside. Our Christmas bin collections page has the revised collection dates.
Traders and vans on business
Business waste is accepted at Newport Pagnell only, by appointment on 01908 616312. It is charged by weight, and vehicles need a valid waste carrier’s licence. The trade area opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and Saturday from 8am to 1pm. It is closed on Sundays. The council’s trade waste page has the full charges.
If you cannot get to a tip
The council runs a paid bulky waste collection for furniture, carpets, white goods and televisions. For weekly collections, see our bin collection days page.
Still to be confirmed
- Christmas and New Year opening for householders. Last year’s revised bin dates were online by 2 December, and we expect the tip hours at about the same time. This page will be updated then.
Planning a trip across the city? Check our roadworks page first. If you are combining the tip with a shopping trip, our parking page has the tariffs.
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