When you drive down Bogan Street these days, it’s not uncommon to count between eight and 10 shopping trolleys left abandoned and scattered alongside the roadway.
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Trolleys are also being left – some for days and even weeks on end – outside other businesses and in residential streets, a kilometre or more away from any of the major supermarkets or department stores.
Victoria Street resident Dave Wilson first raised the issue of Parkes becoming a “trolley town” when he penned a letter to the Parkes Champion Post in June.
Agreeing that the trolleys were – and still are – an eyesore for residents and visitors to the town, Councillor Bill Jayet has raised the matter at two Parkes Shire Council meetings since then.
But the problem raised to a new level when Parkes was hit with heavy downpours within 24 hours on December 2, causing Clarinda Street to flood.
Parkes businessman Peter Soeder, who said he’s fed up with the trolleys being left around town, helped a motorist remove three Woolworths trolleys that were left in the main street and became pinned against their car by the floodwater.
“It’s a joke, and no one will address this with the big multi-national,” he said.
Peter is sick of trolleys being left outside businesses, including his wife’s store the Little Black Dress.
“[I’m] absolutely fed up with the trolleys being left against the post and in the gutter...Moved them myself, as it does little to promote any businesses,” he said.
At one stage over the last few months Peter counted six trolleys over 20 metres in the main street and questioned the legal issue of a car being damaged by a trolley that rolled off the gutter, or shop windows being damaged by rolling trolleys.
“Coin trolleys should be made compulsory by council,” he said.
“We are sick of them on our side. The lazy people who leave on the western side of the street, around the tree and the sign post.
“Maybe we need to hire more trolley people?”
Cr Jayet believes the problem has never been worse than it’s been over the last six months.
He brought the issue to council’s attention at its August meeting.
“They appear to be everywhere and during a drive from my home to the Parkes Early Childhood Centre, I counted nine scattered along the route,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter where you drive, you always come across a discarded trolley.
“People have told me they have called the supermarkets to report trolleys in their streets and two weeks later they are still there.
“Not only are they an eyesore but dangerous to motorists as often they are left on the street.”
Cr Jayet admitted he was concerned when he saw that 22 per cent of people who took part in a poll the Parkes Champion Post conducted – asking readers who they believed was responsible for cleaning up abandoned trolleys – believed it was council’s responsibility.
“Because I believe it’s the customers,” he said.
“Sadly, supermarket customers are flaunting the service provided to them – maybe it’s time for them to introduce the same $2 coin system in place at Aldi’s where the money is refunded on its return.
“I am yet to see a discarded Aldi trolley.”
Cr Jayet went as far as to suggest council impounding the discarded trolleys and charging the supermarkets a fee for their return.
Planning and Environment Director Steve Campbell said council’s rangers and parks and gardens staff collected abandoned trolleys as they become aware of them.
“They are recovered from various public places, including drains and dams,” he said.
The trolleys from some six stores are held at either the council’s Works Depot, Cooke Park or the pound.
Council has held as many as 57 trolleys at one time, of which Mr Campbell said 17 were collected and 25 no longer usable over a two week period.
“The store proprietor or trolley collectors are reminded from time to time that council is holding their trolleys,” Mr Campbell said.
“Some respond and collect but others ignore the advice.
“Council does set an impounding release fee for shopping trolleys which is currently $64.”
Councillors decided at the August council meeting to write to the stores involved to ask them to more actively recover their trolleys.
But Cr Jayet said – raising the matter again at council’s October meeting – the trolleys are still littering the streets.
Trolley Services Australia provides a service specifically dedicated to recovering abandoned shopping trolleys called Trolley Tracker.
People can report a wayward trolley on their website through the ‘report’ tab for most major retailers except Coles. Those reporting also have the opportunity to go into a monthly draw to win $1000.
Trolley Tracker then passes the information on to the appropriate collection contractor.
Reports can be also lodged through Trolley Tracker’s smartphone app or via their call centre 1800 641 497.
People can report abandoned Coles shopping trolleys by calling 1800 876 553 or visiting their website.