Apology follows Herne Bay postal disruption

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-12184437" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail has apologised to customers after disruption to postal services in east Kent.

Delays followed changes to operations in Herne Bay as part of a modernisation programme, Royal Mail said.

Tim Willis, South East England regional operations manager, apologised for the disruption and said extra staff had been recruited to tackle the backlog.

Thanet North MP Roger Gale said he complained to Royal Mail after he received 70 letters about the problems.

The Conservative MP, who visited the Herne Bay delivery office before Christmas, said: "There were boxes and boxes and boxes of letters everywhere, on desks, in pigeon holes, under desks. And the packet area was stacked almost to the ceiling."

Royal Mail said the changes that were introduced had followed a national agreement and included giving postal delivery staff at the Herne Bay office new rounds, removing bicycles and deploying staff in delivery vans.

In a statement, Mr Willis said: "I would like to apologise to customers who have experienced delays in some mail deliveries in the Herne Bay area.

"Management and staff are working hard to improve deliveries in the area.

"Special measures are being implemented including using six additional people to help sort mail for delivery and making additional deliveries on Sundays."

[Lincox]

It,s about time Moya Greene and the rest of her executive staff, came out and made a public apology to the whole of the nation, to the whole of the Royal Mail workforce. Modernisation in it,s true meaning is to upgrade and bring up to date what is lagging behind. How the f..ck can they say a golf trolley (which in itself has been modernised as you now buy electric, remote control golf trolleys) is an upgrade to using a bicycle. This whole modernisation is demobilisation of the workforce, in order to reduce costs to an absolute minimum, and as for the CWU, just look at the picture in the Courier, which shows a postie going to deliver out of a van with a full bag on his back. Taking the weight off the shoulders. I dont think so.

[bexhil palace]

They had a local businessman moaning that he had to wait a few days for an important cheque to arrive.
My god just wait until we are sold off, he will look back on this day with fond memories.

[POSTMAN]

The Conservative MP, who visited the Herne Bay delivery office before Christmas

Someone's gonna get their arse kicked for that!

[Stormproof]

The Conservative MP, who visited the Herne Bay delivery office before Christmas

Someone's gonna get their arse kicked for that!

He turns up every xmas with a bottle of scotch for the DOM....perhaps he should've hit him over the head with it this year.
They have staff going in at night now, this has never happened at Herne Bay in the past. RM have f****d up big time, will they do a u-turn?

[Lincox]

The Lady,s not for turning

[NigelH]

The postal system in parts of Herne Bay remains in disarray. 1st class (sic) post seems to be taking upwards of 7 days to arrive and deliveries in most areas appear random. Someone needs to be held to account. It is simply not good enough to blame it all on "national modernisation" and in my opinion regional and area management should be held responsible. There is a strong rumour in the town that a case in law is being put together under the broad heading of "interfering with and delaying the mail". This would be the first time this particular law has been brought to bear on a number of managers rather than an individual.

The main questions being asked in the case are:-
Who ordered or permitted a major change to the mail delivery process heading into the busiest time of the year for packet deliveries?
The consultants that devised the new process, what is there responsibility in law?
Why did the new process not have a contingency plan in-place to fall-back to the old system in case of failure or partial failure?
If such a plan was in-place, why was it not implemented?
Why is it taking so long to resolve?
Who is ultimately responsible for operational planning?

Clearly this will not force a speedy resolution and in the mean time local businesses (who are believed to be funding the legal action) in the area claim to be losing thousands of pounds. Watch the local and regional press for information.

[BELIAL]

The postal system in parts of Herne Bay remains in disarray. 1st class (sic) post seems to be taking upwards of 7 days to arrive and deliveries in most areas appear random. Someone needs to be held to account. It is simply not good enough to blame it all on "national modernisation" and in my opinion regional and area management should be held responsible. There is a strong rumour in the town that a case in law is being put together under the broad heading of "interfering with and delaying the mail". This would be the first time this particular law has been brought to bear on a number of managers rather than an individual.

The main questions being asked in the case are:-
Who ordered or permitted a major change to the mail delivery process heading into the busiest time of the year for packet deliveries?
The consultants that devised the new process, what is there responsibility in law?
Why did the new process not have a contingency plan in-place to fall-back to the old system in case of failure or partial failure?
If such a plan was in-place, why was it not implemented?
Why is it taking so long to resolve?
Who is ultimately responsible for operational planning?

Clearly this will not force a speedy resolution and in the mean time local businesses (who are believed to be funding the legal action) in the area claim to be losing thousands of pounds. Watch the local and regional press for information.