A warning has been issued that Operation Stack could hit household rubbish collections in and around Ashford.

Ashford Borough Council says this week's introduction of Stack has created severe delays and heavy traffic congestion in the town and that is starting to have a knock-on effect on waste pick-ups.

An ABC spokesman said: "Our waste collection contactor, Biffa, has been able to maintain collections on the due day of collection with some minor delays due to the traffic congestion. Unfortunately the longer the current situation continues there is the possibility that collections may be disrupted.

“All of the waste collected in Ashford is taken to a transfer station at Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate, off Chart Road where it is then loaded onto bulk lorries for transportation to the reprocessing facilities located in west Kent. These bulk vehicles would normally use the M20 for this journey and therefore Operation Stack is having a major impact on these journeys.

“Under normal circumstances these bulk vehicles are able to make five trips a day however at present they are only able to make two journeys. In order to alleviate this, the operator of the transfer station is hiring additional vehicles however there is the possibility that despite this the waste in the transfer station may build to the point where there is no space available for the collection vehicles to tip.

“This will result in collection rounds being delayed and may result in some rounds being incomplete on the due collection day.

“Should this situation arise we will advise residents through the council’s website www.ashford.gov.uk, on social media and via the press and would ask residents to leave their bin out if they are not collected on the usual day and it will be collected as soon as possible thereafter.

“We apologise in advance if this should arise however the situation is completely out of our control and we thank residents for their patience whilst Operation Stack is in place.”

And health chiefs are also advising patients with appointments at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford to allow plenty of extra time for their journeys while Op Stack is in force.

The East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust says appointments will be going ahead but there may be some delays due to staff and patients getting caught in traffic.

The Trust is also asking people to avoid using A & E unless it is an emergency and to use the Health Help Now free website to find alternatives for dealing with common symptons at www.healthhelpnow-nhs.net or search “Health Help Now” on your app store.