Ask Phoebe: Off with their trolleys - and very sorry

I telephoned Woolworths in Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, to report two abandoned shopping trolleys in a nearby street. Three days later they were still there so I called again and spoke to the duty manager, who seemed less than interested. I even warned him that an inorganic collection was imminent, and sure enough, two days later the trolleys went into the rubbish truck and were crushed. Do supermarkets have any responsibility to round up their trolleys? Carol Morrison, Grey Lynn.

Yes they do, and Bill Moore of Progressive Enterprises, which runs Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown stores, apologises for the lapse in this case.

Trolleys belonging to these stores can be identified by their handles, which in many cases carry a freephone number, 0800-40-40-40. If a customer calls this number, a customer service person will take details to try to identify the store the trolley came from. The store manager can then arrange for the trolley to be collected and returned, normally within 24 hours.

What are the future plans for the lower end of Gills Rd in Albany? The road is narrow with no footpaths and has become very busy because of new housing developments at the upper end.

The lower section is unimproved and has what must be one of the last remaining single-lane bridges in Auckland, complete with obscured vision on the approach. The road has been the scene of many accidents in the five years or so that I have been using it. Laurie Glover, Albany.

The council has developed a major improvement plan to realign the lower end of the road, to take the traffic away from the centre of Albany village and offer a better connection to the new Albany centre. But the project is not expected to start before 2019.

All this is dependent on the outcomes from Super City negotiations. But the council plans major maintenance to try to keep the road safe until the realignment can be built.

What does the Road Code say about cyclists and motorcyclists passing vehicles on the left? I have seen several near-misses recently with cyclists in particular passing on the left side of cars that are giving way to vehicles turning right in front of them. The cyclists then have to take evasive action when the vehicle they are passing turns left.

Each time the cyclist involved has been outraged, but to my mind they are the ones in the wrong. Nathan Happer, Mt Albert.

The Road Code says that at intersections, cyclists must follow the rules for motor vehicles.

In other words, cyclists must also give way to vehicles turning right in front of them. Any vehicle turning left should make sure they are clear to do so, and this means watching out for cyclists on the inside as well.