Residents in Ivybridge have criticised rules which mean they can only use their nearest recycling centre if they drive. 

Some people living near to the centre on Ermington Road say they want to take waste and recycling there on foot but have been refused entry. 

The issue was highlighted after local resident Alan Spencer was allowed to dump some garden waste at the centre but soon discovered that many others had been turned away.   

“I had a full brown bin of vegetation, which I decided to walk down to the local recycling centre,” explained Mr Spencer.

“I walked in quite successfully and basically tipped the bin. After that I published something on Facebook – just a comic thing – saying ‘instead of walking my dog today I walked my bin down to the recycling centre’. 

“It then came to light that several residents had been turned away from walking into the recycling centre. One person said he walked in with some plastic bags full of plastic and wanted to get rid of it and he was turned away. 

“I think it would be sensible for residents to be able to walk into a recycling centre.

“What I don’t know is how much this would cost and maybe the cost might outweigh any savings.”

The recycling centre in Ivybridge is run by Devon County Council which says it is not trying to discourage people from using the site but they need to consider the safety of users.  

A council spokesman said: “While we welcome pedestrians to many of our household waste recycling centres, because of where our Ivybridge facility is located it does not have a dedicated pedestrian footpath either on the public highway leading to the site or on the site access road. 

“Given the number of vehicles and lorries using the site each day, for safety reasons, pedestrians are not permitted to access the site.”  

Garden waste collections in South Hams were suspended in August and residents were told, last month, that the service would not be restored until at least Spring 2022.  

In a statement, SHDC said: “Council officers have explored a wide range of options to find possible ways to restore the garden waste service to all residents.

“Unfortunately, due to driver shortages, the Council and their contractor, FCC Environment, are unable to reinstate the service until spring 2022.

“Otherwise, this could significantly impact the waste, recycling and clinical collections that the Council legally has to provide.”

Residents were urged to make their own arrangements to dispose of brown bin waste which has led to a number of people trying to take the waste to the centre on foot.