RUMOURS have been denied that vans wanting to use the Forest tip could be sent to a household recycling centre in Gloucester.

Gloucestershire County Council said the whisper is untrue and vans can continue, as normal, to book in advance to take rubbish to the Oak Quarry site at Broadwell.

A Drybrook man, who took household rubbish to the site in his pick-up truck on Saturday, told the Review he was informed by a member of staff that vans and pick-ups would have to travel to Hempsted in the city.

He said: “The member of staff said the council is looking to phase out vans and even pick-ups, like mine, from using the site imminently as it has become too busy. Also they said the tip will be taken over by another company and that’s when the change will take effect.

“I was shocked as it will open up the floodgate to more people fly-tipping in the area.

“Nobody in their right mind will be prepared to travel at least a 30-mile round trip to dump their rubbish when there is a site just 10 minutes away.”

Tony Childs, waste services manager for the joint waste team at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “As agreed at the cabinet meeting on April 20, Ubico will run the household recycling centres in Gloucestershire from August 7 2016. Rumours that vans and larger vehicles will be prevented from accessing household recycling centres in future are simply untrue.

“Residents can access any household recycling centre with a van, pick-up or large trailer (1.8m x 1.2m load area) provided a booking is made the day before, or earlier.  This allows one trip per day using such a vehicle.

“To book visit www.recycleforgloucestershire.com. Residents are reminded that it is illegal to deposit waste from a business at any household recycling centre.”