Council makes a dash for abandoned trolleys

Published by Hannah Wooderson for 24dash.com in Environment and also in Local Government

Barnet Council is continuing to put the brakes on abandoned shopping trolleys across the borough by charging supermarkets for their collection and disposal.

Since the introduction of the council's abandoned shopping trolley policy last September, more than 250 trolleys have been reported to the council - with retailers then given 24 hours to remove their property.

If trolleys are not collected after the 24 hour notification period the council is then able remove them and charge shops under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005 for neglect of their environmental responsibilities.

The abandoned shopping trolley policy was agreed following consultation with local businesses, residents and partner organisations on how best to tackle the growing number of dumped trolleys in hot spot areas such as Colney Hatch Lane and Brent Cross.

An initial cost of £21.68 is charged per trolley for its removal, the same amount again for its return to the store with an additional £5 fee per trolley per day for storage until it is collected by the retailer.

If after 6 weeks the trolley remains uncollected a £21.68 fee is charged for the trolleys safe disposal. This means a maximum potential cost to supermarkets is £194.46 per trolley if disposed of after six weeks.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Andrew Harper said: "Abandoned shopping trolleys are unsightly, harmful to the environment and create a negative perception of our streets and open spaces. By charging for the removal and disposal of shopping trolleys the council is able to tackle the problem whilst persuading retailers to take their environmental responsibilities seriously."