A woman has started collecting shopping trolleys in her front garden because she is sick of seeing them abandoned around her neighbourhood.
The dumping of shopping trolleys has got the Edinburgh resident so hot under the collar that she has also recruited a well-known MSP to help her in the fight against them.
Audrey Rollason, who lives in the Telford area of the Scottish capital, has become so fed up with the sight of the abandoned trolleys that she collects them in her front garden and arranges for them to be collected. And she has managed to persuade Edinburgh Central MSP Angus Robertson to assist in her long-running battle, along with Inverleith ward councillor Vicky Nicolson, reports Edinburgh Live.
They have called on local shops at the nearby Craigleith retail park to help prevent the dumping of the trolleys that are becoming a hindrance in local green spaces. They come from a variety of stores and it is said they are being lifted and thrown in parks and cycle paths in the Telford area
Resident Audrey said: “Trolley dumping has got worse and worse in the area. I constantly find trolleys around the place, and often new ones appear in a period of hours.
“It is absolutely demoralising and makes our local area look run down and unwelcoming. I want the shops to do their bit to help – it shouldn’t be up to me and other local residents to gather their trolleys for them.
“I’m grateful to councillor Nicolson and Angus Roberson MSP for helping us and I hope we can end trolley dumping once and for all.”
The two politicians say that the problem seems to have become worse since the local retail park at Craigleith saw an increase in shops. Another resident Andrea, and her nine-year-old son Dylan, are understood to have have also spent a lot of their spare time removing trolleys from parks and gardens, with mum Andrea describing the issue as a “disgrace”.
Both Robertson and Nicolson have called on more to be done to tackle the issue. Robertson said: “It is totally unacceptable that Telford residents face the dumping of trolleys in local green spaces and in parks. Not only is it a disrespect to the local area, it is costing local residents and the council time and money having to collect them.
“While it is not retailers’ fault that trollies are being lifted in the first place, it is time that they step up to help solve this issue. We know there are tried and tested ways of reducing trolly dumping.
“Other retail parks have developed various solutions, such as wheel-locking systems to stop initial removal or, in some cases, retailers actively collect the lifted trolleys from the local area. Councillor Nicolson and I have asked retailers to consider all options to help stop the trolley dumping.”
Councillor Nicolson added: “Trolly dumping is something I am acutely aware of in my ward. Indeed, on the regular community litter picks I arrange along with Drylaw Telford Community Council in the summer, we often find trolleys strewn about the place.
“It is deeply frustrating for residents, who should not have to waste their time solving this problem themselves. We will continue to liaise with and represent the views of locals to tackle this issue.”
Craigleith Retail Park have been contacted for comment.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
Find recommendations for eating out, attractions and events near you here on our sister website 2Chill
Find recommendations for dog owners and more doggy stories on our sister site Teamdogs
