CONTROVERSIAL new tip restrictions brought an East Dorset rubbish dump to a standstill on August 31.

Queues of frustrated motorists waited for up to an hour to enter the Dorset County Council controlled tip in Wimborne after finding themselves barred from the Millhams site in Bournemouth.

Others refused to wait and simply dumped their rubbish at the entrance of the Wimborne dump and turned around.

The chaotic scenes occurred on the first day of Bournemouth Borough Council's tip crackdown.

In a bid to reduce the amount of rubbish being dumped at Millhams, only ID-carrying Bournemouth residents are now allowed to use the facility.

Ken Davis, of Ferndown, was one of those caught up in the lengthy queues. He said: "I've been here half an hour and just haven't moved. There's an awful lot of disgruntled East Dorset residents in the queue.

"It's not good enough. People go to the tip closest to them, it's crazy to think they are going to travel further than they have to."

And Margaret Davies, of Ringwood Road, said: "I left home shortly after 10.30am and got into the Wimborne tip more than an hour later. When I left, there were 42 cars waiting to get in.

"There were people just dumping stuff by the gate and leaving, they were so fed up with it. It just seems so silly."

Dorset County councillors have admitted they are "disappointed" with Bournemouth council's decision and are hoping they will lift the ban in six months time once structural improvements have been made to Millhams tip.

In the meantime, Adrian Poller, strategic waste manager for Dorset County Council, is advising residents to try and use the Wimborne tip outside of peak times or contact East Dorset District Council if they have bulky household items to dispose of.

He said: "The increase in traffic to the Brook Road centre will undoubtedly make it very busy at peak times."

Bournemouth councillor John Hayter, cabinet member for sustaining our environment, said: "Millhams site has been under increasing pressure every year due to the growing amount of rubbish and we have a legal duty to provide our own residents with a site for them to dispose of large and bulky items.

"The site is extremely busy now and in order to maintain and improve the service at Millhams tip, the exclusion of those living outside the borough is essential."

First published: September 1