Posties stay on their bikes

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Postmen and women in Wokingham are still using bicycles to complete rounds despite some local folk suggesting their postie has been ordered to use a trolley instead.

Royal Mail has said it is looking to phase out the wider use of bicycles as part of a £2 billion modernisation project, but has denied such a move has already begun.

A resident contacted The Wokingham Times claiming postmen and women across the borough are no longer using the red bikes.

The letter said: “Why have delivery postmen been stripped of their bicycles, specially designed for the General Post Office (GPO), and provided instead with cumbersome push trolleys, which delay delivery times significantly?”

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail has confirmed postmen and women in Wokingham are still using bikes while carrying out their rounds, saying the revamp of the service does not include an imminent switch to vans and other delivery vehicles.

Bicycles, she added, will still be used, but decisions about when and where will be made locally.

The spokeswoman said: “I would like to stress that postmen and women in Wokingham are still using bikes on their delivery rounds.

“Royal Mail is making a number of changes in delivery methods as part of a £2 billion modernisation of its entire operation.

“This change does not involve a straightforward switch to vans for those postmen and women who currently use bicycles, which will remain part of our delivery operation nationally, with decisions taken locally.

“As we deliver fewer letters but more packets and parcels then we did in the past, the switch to vans and trolleys will enable us to take the weight off our staff’s backs.

“In addition, this move, as supported by the union, will help reduce cycling accidents involving our staff.”