Abandoned shopping trolleys, taken from supermarkets, is an problem across the country.

The trolleys are dumped in canals, rivers, on roads and pavements. 

Cwmbran resident, Malcolm Paul Austin, 70, has been campaigning to put an end to abandoned shopping trolleys in his town.

“Abandoned shopping trolleys end up in our local canal damaging boats, rivers affecting our nature and wildlife, roads and footpaths with local youths riding shopping trolleys around placing their lives at risk and damaging parked cars,” said Mr Austin.

(Image: Malcolm Paul Austin) Trolleys are abandoned in streams in Cwmbran.

Mr Austin, who has lived in Cwmbran his whole life, said on one occasion he saw an accident when some teenagers were wheeling each other around in an abandoned trolley.  On June 19 of this year, he spotted the group of five teenagers pushing a trolley in an “erratic way” with one of them inside. Despite Mr Austin warning them to stop, the teenager inside the trolley fell out “severely damaging his back”.

Mr Austin said – as is the case right across the UK – trolleys are “blocking pathways for mothers with pushchairs and the disabled with wheelchairs and electric scooters gaining access to their homes, shops and train station”.

“Over the last eighteen months I have been actively campaigning to stop or reduce the amount of abandoned shopping trolleys in Cwmbran,” said Mr Austin.

“Through my campaigning Cwmbran ASDA in March 2023 adopted a new trolley locking system which prevents trolleys being pushed beyond a demarcation line causing them to lock up. This has proved successful in reducing the amount of ASDA trolleys being abandoned in the surrounding suburbs of Cwmbran.”

However, Mr Austin said some retailers are not as cooperative and proactive.

(Image: Malcolm Paul Austin) Abandoned trolleys can block paths for wheelchair users.

Morrisons in Cwmbran has a lot of its shopping trolleys stolen and abandoned. 

Mr Austin said: “[Morrisons] have been in constant communication with me on a regular basis to try and help resolve the problem.”

TrolleyWise is a shopping trolley recovery app which supermarkets can sign up for.

But, the most important step according to Mr Austin, would be engagement with the issue both from retailers and the public. 

Torfaen Member of Parliament, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: “Abandoned trollies are a blight on our streets and can encourage antisocial behaviour in our communities. 

“I have regularly engaged with local residents, Torfaen Council, and local supermarkets to try to ensure that abandoned trollies in Cwmbran are cleared promptly.”

A Torfaen council spokesman said: “Abandoned trollies are a problem for local residents and supermarkets. Our litter and fly-tipping officer has worked with Gwent Wildlife Trust on a number of river clean ups to remove trollies from the waterways. We have also contacted local supermarkets to help tackle the problem.”

The Argus have reached out to Morrisons for comment.