Victory for motorists as 'Soviet-like diktat' on sign-written vehicles dumping household waste lifted
Driving instructor Jan
Sterry was among those banned from using a recycling centre because
of her branded vehicle
by political editor Paul
Francis
A ban on sign-written vehicles using waste tips across
the county has been lifted after complaints flooded in from people
turned away - despite only wanting to get rid of household
rubbish.
Kent County Council has done a rapid U-turn on its ban on
vehicles that carry commercial advertising only days after highways
chiefs declared most people were "quite happy" about the ban.
The U-turn follows the intervention of KCC leader Cllr Paul
Carter and came amid complaints the new rules meant taxi drivers,
driving instructors and even a magician - as well as KM Group staff
- had been turned away because their vehicles carried
advertising.
The new rule was designed to clamp down on the commercial
dumping of waste from builders and others.
It led to a storm of protests, with Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP
Gordon Henderson, labelling it a "Soviet-like diktat" and raising
the matter in Parliament.
He warned it would lead to more fly-tipping and Dartford MP
Gareth Johnson also urged a re-think.
Vehicles with advertising
were turned away from recycling centres
Under the new rules, KCC had introduced a system in which people
could
apply for special exemption vouchers permitting them to dump
household
waste. That was branded overly bureaucratic.
It now appears staff at the waste sites will be told to use
their discretion and allow those with branded vehicles to dump
waste that is not commercial.
The dumping of commercial waste is still banned.
23/11/12
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