FLY tipping in the Winchester district is going to get worse, a councillor has warned.

Cllr Jackie Porter said further restrictions on access to household recycling centres would mean the unscrupulous dumping rubbish in the countryside.

Her warning comes after Hampshire County Council has banned commercial vehicles, such as vans and pick-ups, from the district's recycling centres unless they have a permit. It says the restrictions, which also puts limits on the size of trailers allowed, are part of an effort to reduce the amount of trade waste being dumped at the centres.

But Cllr Porter, who represents the Itchen Valley, told the Hampshire Chronicle: "We have had an enormous amount of tipping in the countryside and it's only going to get worse. It will encourage people to be dishonest and underhand.

"The less scrupulous will dump it in the countryside but the more scrupulous will just put it in their bins and recycle less."

She said the draconian measures would hit small businesses and DIY enthusiasts the hardest because the free permits only allow 12 visits a year to the recycling centres.

Cllr Porter added: "This was not very cleverly thought through - it just seems like bureaucracy gone mad."

Bill Jabelman, of Lymington Bottom Road, Medstead, said the ban on trailers larger than six foot by four foot would mean householders would not be able to dispose of big items such as beds or sofas.

He said: "My biggest concern is on trailer size restrictions. Trailers of this size are useful if the item is big, or it's heavy or dirty. Do you really want to take a dirty fence panel in your car?"

A spokeswoman for HCC said evidence from other councils - who had implemented similar schemes - suggested the access changes had "no noticeable impact" on the level of fly tipping.

The measures were introduced because traders were dumping commercial waste at the centres and thus avoiding having to pay to dispose of it properly. This extra traffic was causing congestion at the already busy sites.

She added a blanket ban on all trailers above a certain size is easier to manage than administering a permit scheme for all trailers.

The council said that if the waste items were too large for a domestic vehicle, then a charity or local council would collect from a home for a small fee. It said hiring a van or a skip are other possible choices.

*What do you think? Have the rules affected your trips to the waste disposal centre?