THIS IS not just any clear-up; this is a Marks and Spencer clear-up.

The store in Regents Street have launched a shopping trolley recovery hotline for the town as part of a council run scheme to stop trolleys being abandoned.

The hotline is there for people to call if they see any Marks and Spencers trolleys abandoned in the town centre and arrangements for them to be recovered free of charge will be made.

Last November the Adver reported that the number of shopping trolleys found abandoned across Swindon has fallen by more than half thanks to the efforts of Swindon Council’s environmental enforcement team.

Figures show that for the six-month period between October 1 last year and March 31, 142 abandoned shopping trolleys were recovered, but that figure dropped to 67 between April 1 and October 1.

The fall in trolley numbers came after the council urged supermarkets to introduce measures such as coin-operated trolleys, magnetic devices to prevent them leaving the store’s grounds, and to carry out regular sweeps for missing trolleys.

The retailers who have introduced these measures have seen a reduction in the number of trolleys taken away and then abandoned.

A spokesperson for Marks and Spencers said: “This is an initiative the council have brought in to prevent trolley abandonment in Swindon.

“Abandoned trolleys is not a problem for the Swindon Marks and Spencer store as we have a number of measures in place.

“We are happy to be working with Swindon Council on their shopping trolley scheme and hope it will encourage other supermarkets to come on board.

“As far as we are aware Marks and Spencers are the only retailer who have agreed to back the scheme and publicise this hotline.”

Councillor Keith Williams, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for StreetScene, said: “There is a council scheme where we go out and collect the trolleys for a cost of £50 to the retialer but what Marks and Spencer are doing is being a good citizen and instigating it themselves.

“If more retailers took this responsible approach then it would make our job a lot easier.

“I don’t think we have a problem with trolleys in the town centre.

“You get the odd one here and there but it is a much better situation than it was a few years ago.

“Supermarkets and other large retailers do have a responsibility to try and stop this from happening but I would urge the community to do their bit and also act responsibly too.”

The Marks and Spencer trolley hotline number is 01793 616 266.

Members of the public can also report sightings of abandoned trolleys by calling 01793 445501 or by logging onto www.swindon.gov.uk/streetsmart-shoppingtrolleys