'It's a complete mess': Residents complain of dump 'chaos'

While the residents have blamed a cut to opening times - as of October last year the dump shuts on Wednesdays - Gloucestershire County Council has pointed to "unseasonably mild weather" boosting visitor numbers.

Yesterday two people caught in queues contacted the SNJ in the space of ten minutes to lament the state of the tip, known officially as Pyke Quarry Household Recycling Centre, over the last few weeks.

One of them, Mike Waring, said: “The congestion around the entrance to Horsley tip is really poor at present.

"On Tuesday mid-morning there were 50 yard queues either side. Traffic not wanting to enter the site drives down the wrong side of the road and deadlock ensues as they meet head on.

Photo credit: Geoff Moine

"There is no traffic management, which is not helped when folks turn around mid queue.”

These complaints were echoed by Geoff Moine, who says he had to queue for 45 minutes on Thursday for the second week in a row.

In an email to the council wrote: "Can you imagine what it is like for traffic to try and drive down that road? Chaos. Some cars try to overtake the queue only to meet someone trying the same thing from the opposite direction, or someone exiting the centre. It's a complete mess."

Geoff also called on the council to "go back to sensible, full opening times and open again on Wednesdays."

Mike and Geoff's experience comes after delays in January, with the council then blaming a post-Christmas rush.

Wayne Lewis, head of joint waste management at the council, said “Our site operator, Ubico has confirmed that the site has been open and functioning as normal. It seems that the unseasonably mild weather has meant that visitor numbers have been particularly high over the last two weeks.

"Our visitor numbers traditionally increase from around Easter when people tend get back out in to the garden or the garage, but these sorts of activities seem to have come early this year.

"We apologise for the delays people have experienced and want to assure visitors that site staff are doing all they can to get people through the site as quickly and as safely as possible. We regularly review our site lay-outs and operating procedures to try and improve site efficiency and will continue to do so.”