It has been a long time coming, but the new bins are finally being put to use...and people are furious about it.

In an effort to save money (£1.6 million a year) and increase recycling rates, Merton Council, alongside waste collection company Veolia, gave thousands of households brand new bins and and entirely different way to use them.

But this has been met with outrage borough-wide.

Louise Shaljean, who lives in Colliers Wood, was horrified when she first laid eyes on the wheelies.

"It is just really sad about what a mess they make of the neighbourhood," she said.

"This is a nice area where people care about their homes and now our front gardens look like service yards."

But the way Merton now looks isn't the only thing that has people up in arms.

Sam Carlisle from Wimbledon Village said the new bins would make it impossible for her wheelchair-bound daughter to move past the pavement on collection day.

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"It will be difficult for anyone with a disability or pushing prams or strollers,"

"Because of her disability, my daughter uses incontinence pads.

"We would have to leave clinical waste outside the front of our house for two weeks at a time, not ideal or hygienic in the recent hot weather."

Carmel Suthons said the "ghastly Daleks" would offer an "excellent leg-up for would be thieves" around South Park Gardens while Dee Phelan of Dundonald simply called them a "blight on the community."

But despite the month-long rollout, not everyone even has their bins yet.

RELATED: Colliers Wood woman DELIGHTED by arrival of her new bins

Veolia took to Twitter this week to inform the public that they had experienced a "high demand" for food waste caddies and recycling boxes and that they would be delivering them as soon as possible.

They added that for those with new bins outstanding, they are asked to present their recycling in bags and boxes as per the new timetable, until the new bins are received.

Merton Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Mike Brunt said: “We understand that it may take time for residents to adjust to using the recycling and rubbish collection service, which enables all of us to recycle more.

“There are a number of advantages to using wheelie bins. Not only can residents store more recycling and keep paper and cardboard dry, but they also keep the waste secure – reducing issues with split black sacks, windblown litter and spillages, and improving the appearance of our streets.”