Exactly so because of network changes which Royal Mail deem to be both pivotal and necessary times are not going to go back. If anything in coming years they will go forward to accommodate retailers who can get more parcels into the network like how other couriers work.In terms of fleet, the only way to make that work when yards are already overflowing with vans is to implement shift working. Simon Thomson was muttering about that in regards to vans being idle in the afternoon a couple of years back. Since then ours are sitting idle almost the entire AM because our times have shifted so far into the afternoon.
This means shift work in terms of core delivery is a non starter.
Not only that but even if you could have shift work, recruitment would struggle even further if half the depot had to work late shifts. Plus the health and safety aspects of working in the dark etc. The special delivery's, box collections that are required earlier etc.
This is absolutely non nonsensical and wreaks of trying to accommodate non drivers. People need to understand Royal Mail is a business that wants to make efficiency savings. That is what DM26 is all about as the above post points out. It is about reducing staff, not accommodating them.As for non-drivers. These vans aren't single-seaters, right? I would be over the moon if I were dropped off to do the heavy side on my own in peace while the driver handled oversized and the light side(s). That's midway between a pairing and a singleton - it eliminates the inefficiency of P&L by making the pod a little crewbus operation consisting of one driver and one walker.
There is not going to be a vehicle for every person. There is not going to be afternoon shifts on core delivery. There is not going to be mini crew bus operations for non drivers. Just absolute fantasy I'm afraid.