Croydon's three tips: Factory Lane opens 7.30am to 4.30pm, Purley Oaks 8am to 3.30pm daily. Vans only at Factory Lane, Tue and Wed 11am to 1pm. Christmas hours.

Croydon has three council tips, which the council calls household reuse and recycling centres, and each keeps different hours. Factory Lane in West Croydon opens the longest, 7.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday. Purley Oaks in South Croydon opens 8am to 3.30pm every day. Fishers Farm in New Addington has the shortest hours, especially at weekends. You do not need to book, but you do need proof that you live in Croydon, and a van can only use one site, on two days a week, for two hours.

The quick answer

  • Factory Lane, CR0 3RL: Monday to Saturday 7.30am to 4.30pm, Sunday 8.30am to 4pm.
  • Purley Oaks, CR8 2BG: every day 8am to 3.30pm. Fishers Farm, CR0 0LB: weekdays 8am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm, Sunday 9am to 1pm.
  • Christmas: last year all three closed from midday on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Day. The 2026 hours are not yet published.

Opening times for all three sites

These are the hours on the council’s our sites page.

Site Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday
Factory Lane, West Croydon CR0 3RL 7.30am to 4.30pm 7.30am to 4.30pm 8.30am to 4pm
Purley Oaks, Brighton Road, South Croydon CR8 2BG 8am to 3.30pm 8am to 3.30pm 8am to 3.30pm
Fishers Farm, North Downs Road, New Addington CR0 0LB 8am to 4pm 9am to 2pm 9am to 1pm

The council warns that at busy times Factory Lane’s gates “will close earlier to ensure all members of the public are off site by closing time”, and that it may limit numbers on any site or close one temporarily if it becomes too busy. Arriving close to closing time is a gamble.

How to get in

  • Factory Lane: approach from the south via Roman Way (A236). You cannot turn right into the site if you come from the other end of Factory Lane. Pedestrians can use it.
  • Purley Oaks: join the queue on Brighton Road (A235), north of the site. There is no access from the Purley side.
  • Fishers Farm: pedestrians can use it.

What you need to bring

Every site is for Croydon residents only, according to the council’s general site rules. If you have a council vehicle permit, display it at the top right of the windscreen. If you do not, bring two different documents: one with your photo, one proving a Croydon address. The same document cannot count for both.

  • Photo ID: passport, UK driving licence (full or provisional), EU photocard licence, national identity card for non-UK nationals, Freedom Pass or Electoral Identity Card.
  • Proof of address: a driving licence, a utility bill or bank statement from the last three months (not a mobile phone bill), a council tax bill or mortgage statement from the last 12 months, a benefit letter from the last three months, or an HMRC document (not a P45 or P60).

Site staff can issue a permit on the spot once your documents are checked. Permits are not issued for vans.

Two more rules the council enforces: no mobile phone use on site, or you may be asked to leave, and no abuse of staff.

Vans, trailers and pick-ups

The rules for vehicles are on the council’s what vehicles are accepted page.

  • Cars: accepted at all three sites. Maximum six bags of rubble, no trade waste, no pick-up trucks longer than 5 metres.
  • Cars with trailers: not accepted at any site.
  • Vans: Factory Lane only, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 11am and 1pm. Maximum 5 metres long and 2.6 metres high. No tippers, no Luton vans, no trade waste, six bags of rubble at most. Bring ID and proof of address every time, because vans get no permit.

What the tips take, and what they refuse

According to the council, the sites take the full range of recycling plus household rubbish in black bags, garden waste, small electrical items and small bulky items. Sort your load before you leave home.

They do not take asbestos, chemicals, gas bottles, paints or varnishes, or tyres. Gas bottles go back to the retailer or supplier. For hazardous waste the council points residents to the City of London Corporation’s hazardous waste collection service, on 020 7332 3433.

Christmas and New Year opening

The council has not yet published tip hours for Christmas 2026. Last year its festive services notice, published on 12 December 2025, said the centres would be closed from midday on Wednesday 24 December to Saturday 27 December, and on 1 January 2026.

Real Christmas trees can go to any of the three sites. The council also collects real trees from the kerbside in January: dates and the rest of the holiday changes are on our Croydon Christmas bin collections page.

Other ways to get rid of things

  • Bulky waste collection: the council collects large items from your home for a fee; prices are on our Croydon bin collection days page.
  • Mobile recycling centre: the council has run pop-up centres for up to five items, most recently at Belgrave Road, South Norwood, on 21 March 2026, after trials in Thornton Heath and Sanderstead (Croydon Council). No further date has been announced.

Still to be confirmed

  • Christmas 2026 opening hours. Last year’s came in the council’s festive notice on 12 December. We will check from 1 December.
  • Any new mobile recycling centre dates.

Taking a car into the centre too? Parking in Croydon has the car park tariffs, and roadworks and travel lists current closures.