RESTRICTIONS have been put on the council's green waste recycling scheme - at the same time as Portishead's civic amenity site is closed. North Somerset Council has been forced to limit the number of green waste bags sold to each household to two, because

RESTRICTIONS have been put on the council's green waste recycling scheme - at the same time as Portishead's civic amenity site is closed.North Somerset Council has been forced to limit the number of green waste bags sold to each household to two, because it claims its stocks are running low.Signs had gone up at Roundtrees Garden Centre in Tickenham over the Bank Holiday weekend warning customers they could only purchase a pair of bags following instructions by the council.The authority says the restrictions on the sale of bags has nothing to do with the fact that Portishead tip is closed and is only because the service has proved so popular and that bag stocks are limited.North Somerset Council spokesman Richard Turner said: "As a temporary measure we have had to restrict outlets which sell the bags to restrict them to two per person."This is the situation right across the district."The reason for this is that the demand has exceeded our expectations."The council had 100,000 of the bags produced, with 70,000 being delivered to local homes.The remaining 30,000 were made available through the council and at a number of shops and garden centres across the district.The news of the restrictions has not been welcomed by residents, some of whom faced a 40-mile round trip over the Bank Holiday to Weston-super-Mare after discovering Backwell Civic Amenity Site does not open on Sundays or public holidays.Portishead resident Reyna Knight said: " It is asking for trouble to put restrictions on the green waste service at the same time that Portishead Civic Amenity site is closed."There are already problems with fly tipping starting to appear and there have been complaints of rubbish dumped along Sheepway."At this time of year, people are working in their gardens and need to get rid of waste and are currently facing a 40-mile round trip to Weston if they want to visit a civic amenity site on a Sunday. "If North Somerset Council want residents to be good citizens, then they have to provide the facilities to allow them to do so.