The "Powers that Be" having already banned hunting in our "Hunting Forest", created a National Park which was not of our desire which is clearly now being run by aliens; having now created this ridiculous future plan to undermine the way we need to care for our ponies/horses.. They have now finally snapped the final straw for me....

About 4 months ago I visited Efford tip with my (small - van conversion, not 6 horse polo lorry or anything!) horse lorry with some garden waste. I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to bring it to the tip as it was a commercial vehicle and I had to apply to HCC if I wished to continue to bring it as my only vehicle.. They gave me a form and I applied. For 4 months I have not needed to go to the tip, but yesterday I went, armed with my permit to take my vehicle in and some more garden waste etc.. As I was opening my ramp, a lady approached me (what is it about that reflective waistcoat that makes us all bristle??) and to my astonishment announced "that's a horsebox!". To which I replied appropriately - ok, I thought it was appropriate, under the circumstances, in retrospect, she may have been offended! She then told me that horseboxes are banned from the site. I showed her my permit, (which I had applied for with the form she had given me last time I had visited - with the box) she then reiterated that horseboxes were banned from the site, and she went off and rung the HCC and returned to say that they would be having a meeting about it as I clearly hadn't told them it was a horsebox when I had applied for a permit... There was some deliberation as to whether my vehicle was in fact commercial or agricultural - were it commercial I would be allowed in, were it agricultural, I wouldn't.. In my understanding, when applying for planning permission to the council for equine related permissions with regard to building work in the equine world, , we are NOT classed as agriculture. Could there be a totally different standard for vehicles?? It somehow wouldn't surprise me!! They allowed me to tip my rubbish, but not without telling me that I should have recycled the glass bottles outside my house with my rubbish in some plastic box (couldn't be bothered to argue this one, but I don't think these are available through NFDC!!)

I now plan to remark my box "Ostriches/llamas in transit" and see if it raises the same problems!! Has anyone else had this happen to them??

I have since heard that if my box is used for animals to be used for meat (I wont completely rule it out in case I have a group to feed and things havent gone well in the dressage!!)or breeding, well, I've done that a few times, that it could be classed as agricultural.

Doesnt it just infuriate you. What do we pay our taxes for, remind me? I've thought on occasion that I might need to take my (horse) trailer to the tip on the odd occasion I've had long pieces of wood or stuff you just wouldnt want to or be able to put in your car, and decided not to bother because of the agro it might just cause. I don't have a 'normal' trailer, only the horse trailer, heaven help me I really do need to use it for that

Couple of years ago husband was helping his son move house and used out trailer to take an old sofa to the tip. He was told he couldn't dispose of it as bringing it on a horse trailer was 'unhygienic'! Believe me, it was of absolute no use to anyone and as they'd used the trailer to actually move beds, etc, it had been pressure washed, etc, etc! There is also a height restriction on the place, so they'd had to take it out and wheel it over, to then be told. Incredible.

Don't get me going, my Landrover Hard Top counts as a commercial vehicle too because even though it's got 7 seats and windows at the back, it's got solid sides. It's perfectly obvious when you open the back door and all the sweet wrappers and kids junk falls out that its not used as a commercial vehicle, but "rules is rules". It's also 20 years old, there aren't that many commercial vehicles around of that age. I could say more, but it would be inappropriate on a family forum.

Still, lets be positive, they have just changed the rules so that you can get a commercial vehicle permit now even if you have another "normal" car in the household that they consider suitable for tip runs.

I am a revolting peasant
www.forestuprising.org.uk
forestuprising@live.co.uk

We have an open trailer and a well "fenestrated" (windows to you and me) 4 wheel drive.
We have endlessly been to the tip with both as we were clearing out 48 years of my parent's junk.
We were gobsmacked to be told that the rules had changed this year and our trailer is now over the permitted size! The trailer was actually measured on the road outside and we were sent packing.
Not to be beaten by the system or waste the diesel by going with lots of little loads, we crossed the road, unhitched in a car park and ferried all of our junk over in the car whilst I remained with the trailer.
We haven't been since, and next time my London based children ask me what I want for Christmas, I shall ask them for a skip for a week!!!!! I wonder if they will believe me?

Snap Aud!!

I had a heated argument with the "nice" eastern european man in th eyellow jacket about how unsafe our old sofa bed would have been in a smaller trailer. We'd already off loaded by the time they spotted us (rare quiet day at marchwood tip) and suggested that we could be asked to remove the item!! Didn't stop the cheeky wotsits finding the foam from it and scurrying it over to their for sale corner though...

I have often used my trailer for taking rubbish to the tip over the years and was amazed when I went last time to be pounced on by a rather rude man who told me my private horse trailer was actually a commercial vehicle and wasn't allowed.

I did argue that I had always used my trailer and had never been turned away before and my trailer had never been used for financial gain so could not be classed as commercial.

The man tried to get me to take my trailer out of the area, unhitch it and load up my Isuzu Trooper and come back in. I asked him if he would take responsibility for the loss of my trailer should someone decide to take the opportunity to steal it?

A woman then came up and decided to allow me to use it "this time as I didn't know the rules had changed".

Are we surprised to see more and more rubbish being fly tipped in the Forest? I think Not!

My Dad has applied for one of the 'licences' which I think are free, and you apply to winchester for, which means he can do 12 trips a year to the tip with the horse trailer. I will keep you posted IF they actually accept it, when it eventually arrives, or if they decide horse trailers and 4x4's now come under a different catagory and once more they turn him away!