RUBBISH rules are leaving residents angry and frustrated as queues grow at Maldon recycling centre.

Those trying to legally dump waste claim the system is not working raising fears some may choose to fly-tip instead.

In October new rules were introduced at the Springfield Road centre in Burnham which banned vans, pick-up trucks and commercial vehicles.

Many have complained other vehicles are also being refused entry leading to more people trying to use the Park Drive site in Maldon, which did not suffer as a result from Essex County Council’s tighter regulations.

Steve Gallant is one of those whose Land Rover was refused in Burnham who is now facing queues in Maldon.

He said: “It’s been getting a lot worse now over the last six months, beginning pretty much after the new rules were introduced for Burnham.

“The council said one of the ways around the new regulations at Burnham was to go to Maldon – well people are doing that now, which means that centre is under a great deal more stress, with no real solution.

“Some days you’ll get there and the queue leading out of the entrance is as long as 15 vehicles.

“Dengie residents they face a huge round trip to recycle their goods and additionally more than half an hour just waiting to get their car into the centre.

“It can’t go on like this, people will eventually just give up recycling altogether if this carries on.”

In 2015/16 there were 183 incidents of flytipping costing taxpayers £15,000.

Burnham town councillor Wendy Stamp said: “The council has sent a letter asking why they are not allowing Land Rovers and small vans into the Burnham Centre. I keep getting calls about it from lots of residents.”

Simon Walsh, cabinet member for environment and waste at County Hall, also denied there had been significant delays.

Restrictions limiting the types of vehicle and waste which could be deposited in Burnham were introduced in October leading to claims this was having a knock-on impact in Maldon.

Mr Walsh said: “To our knowledge there have not been any serious delays to residents depositing waste at the Maldon Recycling Centre.

“In fact work we have done to prevent business making illegal use of our sites means residents have shorter access times than they did previously.

“Queues can build up during in busy periods or when skips are being emptied, we often see extra visits in periods of warm weather like we are enjoying now. The best advice we can give is that people try to go when the sites are less busy such as weekday mornings.”