An Edinburgh resident has hit out at thoughtless neighbours who have littered a North Edinburgh community with dumped shopping trolleys.
Audrey Rollason says that she has become so “frustrated” with the problem that she has had to collect the trolleys in her front garden and arrange for them to be picked up through her local politicians.
Edinburgh Central MSP, Angus Robertson, and Inverleith ward councillor, Vicky Nicolson, have called on local shops at the Craigleith retail park to help prevent the dumping of the trolleys that are becoming a hindrance in local green spaces.
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The metal structures come from a variety of stores and it is said that they are being lifted and dumped in parks and cycle paths in the Telford area.
The two politicians say that the problem seems to have become worse since the local retail park at Craigleith saw an increase in shops.
Resident Audrey said: “Trolley dumping has got worse and worse in the Telford 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.”
Another resident Andrea, and her 9-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 MSP Angus Robertson and councillor Vicky Nicolson have called on more to be done to tackle the issue.
MSP 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 Vicky 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. Local MSP Angus Robertson and I have written to the shops Craigleith retail park to ask them to take action to help prevent and tidy up dumped trolleys.
“We will continue to liaise with and represent the views of locals to tackle this issue.”
Craigleith Retail Park have been contacted for comment.
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