A second class service after Rutherglen post box is closed

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THE POST Box outside Rutherglen Library is set to be out of commission for a further nine months.

Rutherglen residents vented their fury at not being allowed access to the post box due to demolition work being carried out on Rutherglen Library.

The situation has especially proved a trail for elderly people who struggle to get to the next nearest post box which is 100 metres away.

The post box was deemed too dangerous to access whilst demolition work was being carried out in such proximity but Royal Mail refused to provide the funding to relocate the facility.

Now it has been revealed Ruglonians will have to wait until December before the post box is in working order.

A spokesman for South Lanarkshire Council said: “The Contractor, CBES, assumed responsibility for the ex-post office building on 19th January 2009.

“As part of the site set-up they needed to create a work zone at the main entrance of the building which is accessible from Rutherglen Main Street.

“This is to allow scaffolding to be positioned along the front of the building to provide access to the windows and stonework for repairs to be carried out.

“Immediately to the right of the entrance sits a Royal Mail post box. It was considered to be in the best interest of the public, from a health and safety perspective, not to allow access to the post box in its current position.

“While the scaffolding will not be in place until the end of March there would be concern that due to the level of demolition being carried out inside the building (such as steel beams being removed) there would be a risk to the public at street level.

“The contractor contacted Rutherglen collections office to request that the box be repositioned outwith the work zone.

“The Royal Mail declined to action this request as they were of the opinion that the new post office, some 100 metres to the east, would be adequate in terms of service provision.

“The post box was closed by Romec, a division of the Royal Mail, and will be out of commission until the conclusion of works, scheduled to be December 2009.”