Bickenhill recycling centre: opening times, booking and what it takes
Bickenhill, on the Coventry Road east of Solihull, is the borough’s only tip. Veolia runs it for the council.
Every visit is booked, it’s for Solihull residents only, and vans need an e-permit. It doesn’t take tyres or asbestos.
Checked on 9 October 2026
This centre is run by Veolia, for Solihull Council, not scrapmarket. Check the council’s page before you go.
Photo: Elliott Brown, CC BY 2.0, cropped
Before you go
HS2 works are affecting the way in to Bickenhill. Follow the signs and keep to the lower speed limits.
Paper van permits ended on 3 August 2026: you now apply for an e-permit online.
Key facts
- Address
- Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0DY
- Opening hours
- Summer: weekdays 9am to 5pm (Tuesday to 6.30pm), weekends 9am to 4.30pm. Winter: weekdays 9am to 4pm (Tuesday to 5.30pm), weekends 9am to 4pm
- Booking
- Book every visit online, in 15-minute slots up to three weeks ahead
- Vans and trailers
- E-permit needed: 12 visits a year, at set times only
- Height barrier
- Nothing over 2.05 metres (6ft 9in) or 3.5 tonnes
- Run by
- Veolia, for Solihull Council
Opening times
| When | Days | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (1 April to 31 October) | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | 9am to 5pm |
| Summer (1 April to 31 October) | Tuesday | 9am to 6.30pm |
| Summer (1 April to 31 October) | Saturday, Sunday | 9am to 4.30pm |
| Winter (1 November to 31 March) | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | 9am to 4pm |
| Winter (1 November to 31 March) | Tuesday | 9am to 5.30pm |
| Winter (1 November to 31 March) | Saturday, Sunday | 9am to 4pm |
Summer runs from 1 April to 31 October and winter from 1 November to 31 March, on the council’s page and Veolia’s. Two other council documents differ: its 2024 printed guide gives later weekday openings and earlier weekend ones, and its permit page puts the late Tuesday from April to November. We’ve used the web page, which is the newer.
The site is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and the 2024 guide says it closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, without saying when. Bank holiday hours aren’t published, and vehicles with a permit can’t come on bank holidays at all.
From the council’s pages, checked 9 October 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
Booking and proof of address
Everyone books, online, and gets a reference number. Slots are 15 minutes and released daily up to three weeks ahead; without a permit vehicle you can book and come the same day. Each household can make up to five visits a week, Monday to Sunday. Cancel at least 24 hours before, from the link in your email.
Bring proof of a Solihull address, such as a utility bill or any other bill, on paper or on your phone. If you pay council tax elsewhere, the council asks you to use your own council’s tip.
From the council’s pages, checked 9 October 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
Vans, trailers and the height barrier
Vans, pick-ups, campervans, minibuses and cars towing a trailer over 6ft need an e-permit before they can book. It allows 12 visits in 12 months, one per household, vehicle and person. Permit visits are limited to 10am to 2pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 10am until 15 minutes before closing on Tuesday. Never on Sundays or bank holidays.
A hire van needs an e-permit too, valid for 21 days, and must be booked at least 48 hours ahead. Vehicles over 2.05 metres tall or 3.5 tonnes, long-wheelbase and twin-axle vans, and vans towing a trailer are refused.
From the council’s pages, checked 9 October 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
What it takes and what it refuses
| Item | Takes it? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sofas and armchairs | Not stated | No current council or Veolia page mentions sofas or upholstered seating. Ask before you go. |
| Mattresses | Not stated | Not on the council’s current list of permitted items. |
| Fridges and freezers | Not stated | Not on the current list of permitted items, though small appliances are. |
| Plasterboard | Yes | No limit is published. |
| Rubble and soil | Yes | No limit is published, but it’s for reasonable use: for a big project the council suggests a skip. Waste from work done by a builder is refused. |
| Tyres | No | Your garage or a tyre company can take them. |
| Asbestos | No | Solihull residents can get a council permit to take it to a site in Coventry instead. |
| Trade waste | No | Vehicles caught with it are turned away and reported to the council’s enforcement team. |
Also on the list: garden waste, wood, scrap metal, mixed recycling, glass, textiles, small appliances, mobile phones, batteries (take lithium ones out of appliances), light bulbs, oils, paint, gas bottles, vapes and bagged loft insulation. Household chemicals need a separate hazardous waste permit. Liquids are refused.
The council’s pages don’t say whether DIY waste is charged; see the council’s page.
From the council’s pages, checked 9 October 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
Can’t get a slot, no van, or it won’t take it?
Post the job with a few photos and checked, licensed collectors quote to take it away. You choose, and you pay once it’s gone.
On every job we check the collector’s licence, insurance and ID, record their number plate and where your waste is going before it leaves, issue your waste transfer note, and pay them only once we’ve seen proof it was disposed of legally.
Get quotes from checked collectorsTips for a smooth visit
- Allow extra time for the HS2 works on the way in.
- Van, pick-up or trailer? Get the e-permit approved before you try to book.
- Plan permit visits for 10am to 2pm on a weekday or Saturday.
- Tyres and asbestos aren’t taken here, so leave them out.
Questions
What are Bickenhill tip’s opening times?
Do I need to book Bickenhill tip?
Can I take a van to Bickenhill?
Does Bickenhill take sofas?
Sources
- Solihull Council: Bickenhill Household Waste and Recycling Centre. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Veolia Solihull: Recycling centres, Bickenhill. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Solihull Council: Household waste recycling centre guide (PDF), updated January 2024. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Solihull Council: Bickenhill HWRC permit scheme. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Solihull Council: Bickenhill HWRC booking system FAQs. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Solihull Council: What goes into my containers?. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Solihull Council: Asbestos permit scheme. Checked 9 October 2026.