Top Liberal Democrats at Hertfordshire County Council said the recommendation to cut the number of days county waste and recycling centres will open is "ducking responsibility to provide a service".

The Highways and Waste Management Cabinet Panel backed dramatic reductions to the opening hours of sites, including Garston's Waterdale site, Rickmansworth and Elstree - including having all the sites shut two days a week.

Councillor Sandy Walkington, party spokesman on environment, condemned the decision not to keep the sites open daily - even if it meant reducing opening hours further.

He said: "Yesterday's decision was a glass half full, a glass half empty.

"The Conservatives caved in on shutting any of the sites completely and they recognised the common sense of moving to later opening hours on the days when the sites will be open.

"Their minds were certainly concentrated by the thousands of petition signatures across much of the county.

"But they still need to show more flexibility even if they are determined to stick to a single shift operation. It’s about serving local residents at the times they need, not just laying down a schedule to suit the operator.

"The Liberal Democrat amendment to keep sites open every day even with shorter hours was defeated, though this was clearly the most important factor in residents’ responses. So lets now investigate whether there could be late opening on one day a week.

"It’s all very well for the county council to say that district councils should pay for any additional costs but they are ducking their responsibility to provide the service.

"The Household Waste sites as currently operated work well and are very much appreciated by people.

That is why Hertfordshire residents were so dumb-founded at the crude approach to cuts, with the obvious risk of more fly-tipping and less recycling increasing costs elsewhere simply for the sake of a headline saving."