Time Banded Commercial Waste Collections- Holland Park Avenue and Draycott Avenue

Clear Streets – Commercial Time Banded Waste Collections FAQs

Q1: What are time banded collections?

A1: Time banding means you’re only allowed to put out commercial recycling and rubbish bags at certain times of the day. For example, there could be a morning window of 8:30am – 9am and an afternoon window of 4:30pm – 5pm. Waste and recycling bags should only be presented on the public highway during those specific time slots. Your commercial waste provider will collect your bags from the end of each time banding slot. 

Q2: Why is time banding being implemented?

A2: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is one of the most densely populated boroughs in the UK. The borough also has a large number of businesses across a variety of town centres. Currently, waste in our town centres can be placed out for collection at any time during a 24 hour period. This can make our town centres look untidy and increases the risk of bags being split open and contributing to increased levels of litter. Time banding aims to improve the cleanliness and overall street environment by reducing the amount of time that waste bags are left on the street, making our town centres more attractive for everyone.

Q3: When will time banded collections be introduced?

A3: Time banded commercial waste collections were introduced in March 2025 across nine town centre streets in the borough. This proposal seeks to add two more streets to the time banded process. The ambition is for the two additional streets to operate under time banded regulations from late 2025 or early 2026.

Q4: How will time banded collections be implemented?

A4: The Council will use powers available to it under Section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as amended by sections 21 and 22 of the London Local Authorities Act 2007), to introduce time banded collections of waste and recycling from designated business premises in the borough. These regulations will set out how waste and recycling should be presented in the relevant town centre locations. This information will be available on the Council website, businesses affected will be written to and signage will be installed within each town centre affected by the regulations.

Q5: Where will the time banded regulations be applicable?

A5: Nine town centre locations are already subject to time banded waste collections. These are:

• Brompton Road
• Earl’s Court Road
• Fulham Road
• Gloucester Road
• Kensington High Street
• King’s Road
• Ladbroke Grove (between Lancaster Road and Cambridge Gardens)
• Notting Hill Gate
• Sloane Street

This proposal aims to add the following streets to the time banded collection process.

• Draycott Avenue (from Walton Street to Ixworth Place, the pedestrianised area)
• Holland Park Avenue

Q6: What will happen if I put my waste or recycling on the public highway outside of the time banded windows?

A6: The regulations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 provide the Council with powers to serve a statutory notice, whereupon failure to comply with its contents, can result in the serving of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for any recycling or waste presented on the public footway outside of the designated times, where evidence can support the identification of an alleged offender breaching the regulations. The payment of a FPN discharges liability for the offence. Failure to pay the FPN or repeated offences, could result in prosecution.

Q7: What if a business can’t adhere to the time banded windows?

A7: The time banded windows provide a good amount of flexibility. Across the locations affected, the minimum number of available windows for presentation is three and some locations have four. If a business still can’t adhere to these windows, they will have to look into an alternative waste and recycling collection regime. This would require no bags to touch the street floor, with the collection provider removing the bags directly from the business premises, or the staff from the business taking the bags out directly to the collection vehicle when it is outside the business premises.

Q8: What happens if my collection provider fails to collect my commercial waste within the time banded window?

A8: If you notice that your waste hasn’t been collected after the time banded window, you should bring it back into your premises and immediately contact your collection provider. They may be held up and can let you know when they will be arriving and provide you with alternative options, such as using a later timed window or direct collection from within your premises.

Q9: I use a wheeled bin, not bags, how does time banding affect me?

A9: This scheme only applies to bagged, sacked and loose waste placed on the street for collection. If you use storage facilities to house wheeled bins or compactors you will not be affected by the changes and can continue with your method of waste collection as usual. Please note that bins are not permitted to be placed on the public highway. Your collection provider will remove the bins from the storage area upon their arrival and then return them once emptied.

Q10: My collection provider cannot make internal collections or collect within the time banded windows, what can I do?

A10: It is your responsibility to have waste and recycling collected and to comply with the regulations, so you will need to use a collection provider who can collect in accordance with the scheme.