AT least part of the blame for traffic congestion in Andover's Shepherd Spring Lane is due to Test Valley Borough Council's new recycling scheme.

The clogged roads are getting so bad it's causing residents and businesses in the area a real headache.

Now the highways authority has said at least part of the problem is being caused by the council's green recycling scheme.

More and more vehicles are thought to be using the waste recycling area as residents dump their green waste to avoid paying the £20 a year tax on green waste imposed by the borough council in April.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire County Council, responsible for the recycling centre, said the busiest days were Saturday, Sunday and Monday and urged people to visit on less busy days.

The spokeswoman added: "Test Valley Borough Council has recently started a green waste scheme which requires residents to pay to have their garden waste collected or buy a compost bin.

"This may have indirectly made the recycling centre busier as residents are now not allowed to dispose of green waste with their residual waste."

In fact, the new green sack collection service began on Monday. Some 8,200 people have so far signed up for it, a figure much higher than the borough anticipated.

On top of that 3,000 people have bought composting bins and another 300, water butts.

But the borough does seem to have rethought its immediate strategy when dealing with 'bin cheats'.

Phil Easton, Test Valley environmental services manager, said crews collecting the green waste would be reporting back if they found people were trying to cheat by disposing of their green waste in the household waste or recycling bins.

"But we as a council don't intend to drop on people from a great height," he said. "For a number of years we've had one system that people have got used to and now we've made changes that have been brought upon us for the reasons that we've already gone into."

The council is confident it will be able to deal with any enforcement problems informally, by talking to people - especially in the early days as the service settles in.

If anyone 'deliberately and persistently' tried to cheat the collection system, however, then the council could as a very last resort take offenders to magistrates court, where they could be fined up to £1,000 on conviction.

Mr Easton added: "However, I'm confident that we will be able to resolve any problems before it ever gets to that stage."

He also apologised to anyone who had not yet received their green bag, which was mainly due to the number of people who had signed up for the service.

It was hoped everyone would get their bag in time for their first collection, but anyone who does not is advised to contact the council to discuss their options.