Longshot Lane opens 8am to 6pm daily from 1 October to 31 March, needs a booked slot and proof of address, and shuts 4pm on Christmas Eve. Hours under review.
Bracknell’s household recycling centre is on Longshot Lane and is run by re3, the waste partnership of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham councils, with FCC Environment as the contractor. Its hours drop by two hours a day from 1 October, you cannot drive in without a booking, and the council is openly reviewing whether to cut the hours further. This page has the times, the booking rules, what you must bring, what costs money and where the review stands.
The quick answer
Longshot Lane, Bracknell RG12 1RL opens 8am to 6pm, seven days a week, from October to March, and 8am to 8pm from April to September. It closes at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and is shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. You must book a 30-minute slot before arriving in any vehicle, up to seven days ahead, and bring proof of address issued in the last four months. Walking or cycling in needs no booking. Bracknell Forest residents can also use re3’s other site, Smallmead on Island Road, Reading RG2 0RP, on the same hours.
Opening hours
Both re3 sites keep the same hours all year (re3, site facilities).
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| April to September | 8am to 8pm, seven days a week |
| October to March | 8am to 6pm, seven days a week |
| Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve | Closes at 4pm |
| Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day | Closed |
The switch to winter hours is on 1 October, so the last 8pm closing of 2026 is Wednesday 30 September. Bookable slots follow the same pattern: the council’s booking page lists slots from 8am to 8pm in April to September and 8am to 6pm in October to March (Bracknell Forest Council, online booking for recycling centres).
Booking a slot
Every vehicle needs a booking, made through re3’s Click and Tip system. The rules, from re3 and the council:
- Slots are 30 minutes long and you should arrive within your slot (re3).
- New bookings are released each day, seven days in advance, and you can book up to one hour before the slot (Bracknell Forest Council).
- You can cancel or reschedule up to three hours before, using the link in your confirmation email.
- You can book as many slots as you want, but only attend the site you booked (re3).
- Bring your reference number and name; a printed email is not required.
- No booking is needed on foot or by bike. Make yourself known to staff on arrival (re3).
- Someone else can book on your behalf, and bookings can be made by phone through re3’s customer service team or the council.
Proof that you live in the re3 area
Access is restricted to residents of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham. re3 accepts a driving licence, a current council tax bill, a utility bill, a bank or credit card statement, a Bracknell Forest e+ card with “resident” printed under the photo, a photocard bus pass issued by a re3 council, or a valid blue badge or residents’ parking permit issued by a re3 council. Bills and statements must be no more than four months old, and the document must match you and your vehicle (re3, site facilities). Electronic originals are accepted; photographs of documents and email confirmations are not. The old re3 residents’ permits are no longer valid as proof (Bracknell Forest Council, recycling centre).
Vans, pickups and trailers
A commercial or commercial-type vehicle needs a permit, which is now built into the booking form: choose the vehicle type and describe the waste when you book. re3 defines commercial-type as any vehicle with no rear side windows, missing rear seats, an open back, a back separate from the cab, or a design for carrying goods. Box vans are not permitted at all. Disability-adapted vehicles do not need a permit (re3, site facilities).
What costs money
Ordinary household waste is free. DIY waste is charged once you are over the free allowance, payable on site by debit, credit or prepaid card only, with no cash. re3’s current price list, dated October 2025, charges £3.20 per 25-litre bag or per item for almost everything, including rubble, soil, tiles, timber, fence panels, doors, windows, baths, sinks, worktops, radiators and boilers. Plasterboard is £1.60 per 25-litre bag and asbestos is £8.40 per 20kg. Metal DIY waste, such as metal radiators or garage doors, is free (re3, DIY waste disposal charges, PDF).
The council also lists limits on some free items: any domestic fridge or freezer up to an American-style upright, a maximum of two bags of pet waste, four car tyres, and two fire extinguishers of up to 2kg or 3 litres (Bracknell Forest Council, recycling centre).
The review of opening hours
Bracknell Forest Council is looking at cutting the recycling centre hours as one of the options for closing a £10.1 million budget gap in 2026/27. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that trials were run over the summer to test the capacity of both re3 sites, and that councillors at a scrutiny meeting in September warned of more fly-tipping if hours are reduced. Councillor Gerry Webber said he was concerned by how much fly-tipping his ward already gets, and Councillor Tony Virgo said the council should be making it easier to go to the tip, not harder (Bracknell News, 23 September 2026).
The council’s statement, from Councillor Ryan Frost, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said the findings from the trials will inform any potential changes, with the aim of maintaining adequate access across both sites. No new hours have been proposed and no decision date has been given. The hours on this page stand until re3 says otherwise; we will update it if a proposal reaches Cabinet.
More Bracknell information
- Bracknell bin collection days: the six kerbside schedules, garden waste and bulky collections
- Bracknell Christmas bin collections: what changes over the festive fortnight
- Bracknell roadworks and travel
- Parking in Bracknell
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