Drivers face three-hour waits at tips and recycling centres in County Durham after reopening

Waste bosses restarted the service on Monday May 18 for the first time since March, when they were closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

But a relaxation of government social distancing rules saw a rush to dump rubbish which has built up over almost eight weeks in lockdown.

Oliver Sherratt, Durham County Council’s head of Environment, said: “We are pleased that we have been able to reopen all 12 of our Household Waste Recycling Centres complying with government guidance on social distancing for staff and users.

“As expected, all sites have been busy and we have deployed traffic management in anticipation of this.

“As queuing is likely, residents are reminded to only visit if it is to dispose of waste that cannot be stored at home, holding back on visits to a later time if possible.

“We will be monitoring each site to ensure they can remain open while following safety measures to protect staff and residents who use them.”

Live updates on social media from the county council warned families they faced significant waits to access tips on Monday.

Sites at Seaham and Potterhouse Lane, in Pity Me, Durham, had delays of about an hour, rising to 90 minutes in Tudhoe and Coxhoe.

The biggest queues recorded by council bosses were at Thornley, at up to three hours.

Centres at Thornley and Coxhoe, as well as Annfield Plain, are also running with altered hours, opening Monday – Saturday, 2-8pm, and Sunday 9am-8pm.

All other sites are currently operating at their normal opening times.

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