Fraser Coast Council plans shopping trolley crackdown

Shopping trolleys being left strewn across the Fraser Coast could become a thing of the past, with one councillor urging a crackdown on the “eyesores” now being found kilometres from their proper homes.

Fraser Coast Council is calling for supermarkets and retailers to take more responsibility for wayward shopping trolleys left stranded “willy-nilly” across the region.

Councillors voted unanimously at Wednesday’s council meeting at River Heads Community Hall following a push by Division 7 Councillor Darren Everard, who has been lobbying for the cause.

Mr Everard said his motion came to light through “frustration” shopping trolleys were left across the region.

“I really struggle with the fact that these things get left willy-nilly around the region,” he said.

Under the motion the council will write to shopping centre management and retailers in the region, asking they take more responsibility for their stray trolleys.

An example of a shopping trolley found in a suburban street in Hervey Bay.

Mr Everard told council that shopping trolleys were an “eyesore” and “not a good look” for a tourist town.

“Why should our community have to see them spread all over the area?” he said.

He said while trolleys have a place in shopping centres, it was not on “suburban streets” or the Esplanade.

Mr Everard highlighted he recently discovered a trolley near Fraser Coast Anglican College, which he said was about 4.5km from where it came from.

According to the report tabled the council is writing to shopping centres and retailers to ask they take more reasonable steps to ensure that trolleys remain within shopping centre precincts, and that trolleys be fitted with wheel-locks or some sort of tracker.

There is a local law in place regarding shopping trolleys, the report said.

Cr Darren Everard said his motion came to light through “frustration” shopping trolleys were left across the region.

Deputy Mayor Paul Truscott spoke in support of Mr Everard’s motion, noting the problem was worse in Hervey Bay than Maryborough.

“They are just being littered unfortunately by people doing the wrong thing all over the place,” he said.

Mr Truscott said he spoke with a manager of a local supermarket who advised him that his team can collect trolleys from the carpark, but not outside of that for safety reasons.

The council meeting was held at River Heads Community Hall on Wednesday, September 28.

Zane O’Keefe said trolleys were an impediment to pedestrians and often found in waterways.

He said supermarkets had a responsibility to retrieve their property if taken out of their boundaries.

It was discussed during the meeting that if council receives a report of a stranded shopping trolley, and it can be identified through branding, council can contact the relevant organisations which have a collection process in place.

Residents can report stranded trolleys via the council Snap Send Solve app.

Originally published as Fraser Coast Council plans shopping trolley crackdown