New opening times and rules restricting use of the Household Recycling Centre’s in Wiltshire mean that Melksham residents now find the HRC centre in Bowerhill closed every Tuesday and Wednesday.

The new rules also see the centre only open from 10am to 4pm Thursday to Monday, with many users complaining that they are experiencing queues and delays as skips are swapped over, even after the centre has opened.

Changes to the types of vehicles allowed to use the recycling centres have also left some residents restricted to just 12 visits a year - all because their only vehicle is on the council’s list of restricted vehicles.

“It’s a disgrace”, commented Cllr Jon Hubbard, “that I have a resident in my ward who, having previously been told that he could avoid the Garden Waste Tax by taking the contents of his green bin to the Recycling Centre, is now told he is only allowed 12 visits a year.

“All because he has chosen a car model that the council believe is too big.

“I find it fascinating that the council believes that 4x4’s are fine, even though some of them have a bigger capacity than some of the vehicles restricted.

“This is another example of this council’s ‘save today to spend tomorrow’ policy that will only end up costing more in the end”.