Dismay as Royal Mail presses ahead with closure plans

[johnnyp]

http://www.creweguardian.co.uk/news/374 ... ure_plans/
Dismay as Royal Mail presses ahead with closure plans
4:30pm Monday 13th October 2008

By Mark Hilditch »

A FRESH commitment by Royal Mail to close Crewe’s mail sorting office has been met with dismay from council leaders.

The plans could mean the loss of 600 jobs in the town, as the Weston Road site shuts down and a new centre at Warrington is opened.

The borough council met with Royal Mail bosses earlier this month, when they say they were given assurances that others sites for a mail centre would be considered in Crewe.

But just four days later the company announced that the new centre would be based in Warrington.

Council leader John Hammond said: “Following what we took to be a productive meeting with Royal Mail management, we received a letter by return of post, which dismissed our suggestions without proper explanation and failed to address other points we had raised. “This was followed almost immediately by a letter informing us the Liverpool option had been discounted and the Warrington proposal would go ahead, with the closure of the Crewe centre.

“There has been no real attempt by Royal Mail management to listen to alternative points of view. “The approach leaves much to be desired and has alienated all those with a genuine desire to achieve an acceptable outcome. “The council will continue to support the fight to protect local jobs and services, and urge Royal Mail to reconsider their decision.”

A statement from Royal Mail on Friday said that the Crewe site was too small to be sustainable, and that it would be too expensive to build elsewhere.

Steve Wright, branch secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said they would be taking a petition of thousands of signatures to Downing Street.

He said: “What we are faced with is a belligerent management from the north.

“We believe that saying we were going to Liverpool was a smokescreen. So now they can say, ‘we’re actually going to Warrington so that’s not too bad’.

“The fact is that the workers here cannot afford to pay £60 a week travelling.

“The Government has got to stop this, surely they cannot allow Royal Mail to put 600 people out of work.”

He also confirmed that the workforce will be marching through town on Saturday October 25.

To avoid disruption the march will start at Chester Square, before moving to Delamere Street, Gatefield Street, onto Queensway, Market Street and Earle Street and onto Municipal Square.

The workers will then hear from national union leaders, councillors and local MP Edward Timpson.

[Lounge Lizard]

That's what happens now that Crewe's got a Conservative MP.
Glyness Dunwoody would never have let them shut it.