Supermarkets could be charged for abandoned trolleys

The council says it is "growing problem" and causes antisocial behaviour and environmental damage

Supermarkets in Newport could be charged for trolleys that have been abandoned on public land.

Newport City Council say abandoned trolleys are a "growing problem" and cause antisocial behaviour and environmental damage, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council hopes a new policy could curb the issue and give retailers a financial incentive to make sure trolleys stay on their property.

The public will likely have a say on the proposals that could see companies pay £100, with trolleys returned to the supermarket.

Under proposals, the local authority would remove an abandoned trolley from council land or highways and keep it in storage for up to six weeks.

It will then find and contact each trolley's owner within seven days of its removal, notifying them of the seizure and making arrangements for its return.

The proposed charge for this overall service would be set at £100 per trolley – lower than the £120 to £200 the council estimates each trolley costs.

In cases where the owner is unknown or where a trolley is not collected, after six weeks the council will take ownership of that trolley and will likely resell or otherwise dispose of it.

Some supermarkets have existing arrangements with a third-party organisation to collect reported abandoned trolleys, but the council argues "this process is far from sufficient".

Under the new proposals, the council's powers would be limited to its own land and public highways, and would not include main rivers or other waterways under the management of agencies such as Natural Resources Wales.

However, in those cases the council would contact those agencies to request a trolley's removal.

The policy will also exclude private land, but the council has opened up the possibility of some collections if a landowner makes a request.