Letter to the editor: Abandoned supermarket trolleys

Dear Penny,

The blight of abandoned supermarket trolleys appears to be worsening, especially in, and around, Sovereign Harbour. These are unsightly, detract from the experience of living or visiting the area, giving it a run down feel, and potentially a hazard for the visually impaired.

Although it is possible to report abandoned trolleys, and indeed they are collected in a reasonable time, what pressure is being applied by the council to retailers (especially ASDA in The Crumbles) to prevent their theft? I have spoken with the manager at ASDA and he informs me there is nothing effective in place to solve this issue (the magnetic lock in the trolley wheel system is inoperative). He stated they would not prosecute an individual for taking a trolley from their premises or the estate.

I believe it is now the responsibility of the council to, firstly, liaise with retailers to encourage them to prevent the thefts and, should this not work, then issue substantial fines accordingly. I believe Canterbury have such a policy in place to address this problem. All supermarkets seem to state they "take the problem seriously" but evidence suggests the contrary.

I look forward to hearing back from you as to what the council is, and will be, doing.

Kind regards,

Martin G. Bender

Silver Strand West, Eastbourne