Royal Mail on the spot over vans decision

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/107476 ... ision.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ROYAL Mail’s decision to use vans rather than bicycles to make deliveries has been slammed by a disabled customer.

Phil Douglas, of Acton, received a notification card from the Royal Mail saying there was a parcel waiting for him at the sorting office on Regent Street, but when he went to pick it up there was no room in the car park as it was full of Royal Mail vans.

Mr Douglas, who has a lung condition, said he was told Royal Mail was getting rid of bicycles and was relying more on vans for deliveries.

“I find this very surprising. Bikes are an efficient and cost effective method of transportation over shorter distances,” he said. “They are cheaper to buy and far more environmentally friendly.

“When I got to the Wrexham Royal Mail depot there was nowhere to park because the car park was packed with vans. The staff explained the situation to me and did allow me to park by the inquiry office for five minutes as a one off.

“But they said in future if I came I would have to park at the railway station instead. I don’t blame the staff at all, they don’t make the decisions.

“This is a huge inconvenience and I don’t think it is a cost efficient way of operating.

Royal Mail should consider the possible impact on the public in making these changes.”

Royal Mail spokesman Val Bodden said: “We apologise to Mr Douglas for the difficulty he encountered in collecting an item of mail from our Wrexham delivery office.

“We have recently introduced a new delivery system in our office in Wrexham, which involves new ways of working for our postal staff.

“This is in response to the changing mail bag across the UK as we now receive significantly more parcels for delivery, resulting in changes to our transportation methods.

“There were a large number of Royal Mail vans parked in the yard at the time when Mr Douglas called but on this occasion he was able to park close to the inquiry office to collect his item.

“We do advise customers that for their own safety they should consider parking outside the delivery office area and to use the designated pedestrian access to get to the inquiry office to collect items of mail.

“There are several ways in which our customers can receive undelivered items including requesting a free re-delivery to the same address on a different day, to a nearby address within the same postcode area, delivery to a local Post Office branch, or by making a request on line via our website.

“The inquiry office is open from 8.30am to 6pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 8.30-8pm Wednesdays; and 8.30 to 2pm Saturdays for collection of mail items.”

[Lounge Lizard]

I know of a Delivery office built several years ago with NO public parking spaces and double yellow lines along the road outside - probably not the only one like that.

[not me]

people moan when offices move out of town to areas with parking(like my own)
then they moan when a local office has no parking