Council tightens rules on commercial bins on footpaths

Queenstown Lakes District Council is cracking down on non-council-issued bins on footpaths.

At a council meeting yesterday the council adopted the Traffic and Parking Bylaw 2025. The bylaw, which regulates traffic and parking in the district, comes into effect on December 8.

The previous bylaw was due for renewal so a replacement was developed in April, endorsed by the former council in July and consulted on throughout August.

Yesterday the council adopted the refreshed bylaw but not before discussion about wheelie bins and their placement.

A clause in the new bylaw states that a person “must not, without the prior written consent of the council leave or place on a road, footpath, road margin or roadway, anything other than a vehicle”. However this does not apply to council-authorised kerbside collection bins “if such containers do not unreasonably obstruct the road or footpath, nor remain for more than 24 hours”.

The above wording was settled on after debate at the council table driven by councillor Gavin Bartlett. His proposed wording amendments were to make it clear that only council-authorised bins would be allowed on public footpaths.

“It’s a given a council has a kerbside collection system, what I’m trying to prevent is commercial operators using public spaces for their own benefit and creating a nuisance to our public,” he said.

He brought up Frankton Rd where the Frankton Track closure had resulted in more people riding on a share path.

"My view is that wheelie bins are more often an unreasonable obstruction that bicycles are."

Deputy mayor Quentin Smith agreed with the move to make the wording clearer.

"We’ve had a lot of issues downtown regarding collection of commercial waste,” he said. 

In 2023 the council closed its kerbside collection points in Queenstown and Arrowtown in a bid to keep stinky rubbish and recycling waiting to be collected by contractors out of public spaces. 

“We are fundamentally changing the expectation that businesses can use public domain for servicing their commercial properties,” Smith said. “Down Shotover St we had them there all day, everyday. Bins in the middle of the footpath and it was getting pretty gross.” 

The clause in the bylaw means council kerbside collection bins can be out for up to 24 hours on collection day, but commercial businesses using a third party to collect rubbish and recycling can’t leave their bins on the roadway, unless they have council authorisation to do so.

Main image: Rubbish bins pictured in Queenstown CBD in 2023 before the council closed its kerbside collection points.