Truckers fear a new regime at the Tyne's Bay incinerator could jeopardise out-of-hours waste services on the Island.

The drivers are concerned that new rules affecting opening hours at the plant will mean facilities that rely on out-of-hours waste collection could suffer.

From today, one driver claimed trucks would not be able to visit the site outside of the 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday hours, and the 7.30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday opening times.

The driver, who did not want to be named, said restrictions on the hours rubbish can be dumped at the North Shore site for burning may mean waste will not be collected from hotels and cruise ships at certain times.

He feared problems could arise over weekends and public holidays, if trucks were not allowed to use the facility.

But Russell Wade, Works and Engineering Chief Engineer, said there were provisions for weekend and public holiday drop-offs.

And he said the hours had always been the same, with exceptions for holidays.

The driver fears his and many others' livelihood will be affected by the reduced hours his employer can visit the facility, and estimated that much of their overtime would be lost.

"We are all trying to make a living and look after our families,'' he said.

It is understood that up until today, drivers could take waste outside of normal hours to Tyne's Bay and dump it in special pits, and staff would later bill the company involved.

The facility had been useful for late-night and weekend events, such as Harbour Nights, when drivers could take rubbish straight to the site, instead of storing it until the next day.