FEARS that increased usage of a Stourport tip, after the closure of one in Kidderminster, is causing traffic chaos and fly tipping has led to calls from town councillors for the highway authority to take action.

Conservative members of Stourport Town Council Ken Henderson and David Little have told The Shuttle they are worried about the knock on affects of Stourport's Bonemill recycling site, on Stourport Road, being the district's only facility of that type.

Kidderminster's Worcester Road household recycling centre (HRC) has been closed since January 31 to allow for the demolition of an on-site building which contained asbestos but the project has been delayed and it is unlikely to reopen until late autumn.

During the works, Worcestershire County Council officers have been encouraging Kidderminster residents to use the Stourport HRC and staff who usually work at the Kidderminster facility have also been transferred there.

Mr Little said that since the closure, the increase use of the Stourport one has caused "traffic chaos" particularly for users coming from Stourport, who must cross the south-bound A451 carriageway to reach the site via a slip road which quickly fills up, meaning backed up drivers are stationary on the 70mph main road.

He said: "It has caused tremendous problems at the weekend and on Mondays. Stourport is trying to cope with all this household waste from Kidderminster Stourport, access to the site from Stourport is off the 70mph dual carriageway via a feeder road. The queueing is going right up and its causing trouble, people get impatient and it's an accident waiting to happen. There has been close hits recently.

"I have suggested to the council while this is happening we could close off the slip road so all traffic will have to go to the lights [at the Walter Nash Road junction] and turn around. At least then all the traffic will be on the left hand side of the road.

"They could also reduce the speed limits. It it is necessary for the Kidderminster to Worcester A449 stretch to be 50mph then why this needs to be 70mph I do not know. For the minute I am waiting for an accident to happen."

Mr Henderson, who put forward a motion at last month's Stourport Town Council meeting to put pressure on the county council, added: "As well as it causing chaos on the roads, my other main concern is it will put people off using the centre and I am afraid it will result in more fly tipping instead."

The Shuttle asked the county council to respond to the concerns but as yet has not received a response