Whitstable campaigners lose fight

[fishtank]

THE fight is over for campaigners who have waged a two-year battle to stop Whitstable delivery office moving to Canterbury.
And now politicians fear the move will increase traffic in an already congested area.
No date has been set by Royal Mail for the relocation to Military Road, but it is expected to be within the next few months.
Canterbury City Councillor James Flanagan is concerned about the impact as up to 50 staff make up to four trips a day in 21 vans driving back and forth to Whitstable instead of making rounds on foot or by bicycle.

Cllr Flanagan said: "I remain very concerned about the impact the move will have on the town, especially with so many vans travelling each day between Whitstable and Canterbury, all of them trying to find parking spaces in an already busy area."
Royal Mail spokeswoman Sally Hopkins said: "Relocating Whitstable delivery office to Canterbury is part of our business-wide modernisation programme that will allow Royal Mail to continue to provide the universal service to our customers in Whitstable in the face of increasing competition in the postal market and a decline in the number of letters being sent."
Public support for the campaign saw a 300-strong march through Whitstable.
Postman and Communication Workers Union representative, Chris Stone, said: "The news is disappointing because the move is still wrong, for postal staff, for customers and for Royal Mail."
Julie Wassmer, who spearheaded the public protest, said: "While Royal Mail continues to claim that this is part of a modernisation programme, the truth is we will be faced with a 16 mile round trip to pick up undelivered mail, and this will impact most on the elderly, the infirm, those on low incomes as well as charities who rely on the use of a PO box."
She said a junk mail boycott would still go ahead as soon as any move was made, and the Save Whitstable and Herne Bay Delivery Offices Facebook Page would remain in place for residents to comment on their experience.


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[TrueBlueTerrier]

Delivery office fight is finished

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THE fight is over for campaigners who have waged a two-year battle to stop Whitstable delivery office moving to Canterbury.

No date has been set by Royal Mail for the closure of the Cromwell Road office, but it's expected in the next few months.

Public support for the campaign saw a 300-strong march through the town and resident-backed picket lines dubbed a Carnival of Resistance.

Postman and Communication Workers Union representative Chris Stone said: "The news is disappointing because the move is still wrong, for postal staff, for customers and for Royal Mail."

Canterbury city councillor James Flanagan, who lives in Whitstable, said: "I remain very concerned about the impact the move will have on the town. I will be letting Royal Mail know of any problems as soon as they arise."

Julie Wassmer, who spearheaded the public protest, said the campaign had succeeded in delaying the move to allow postal staff to gain concessions and better conditions.

"While Royal Mail continues to claim that this is part of a modernisation programme, the truth is we will be faced with a 16-mile round trip to pick up undelivered mail, and this will impact most on the elderly, the infirm, those on low incomes as well as charities who rely on the use of a PO box."

Royal Mail spokeswoman Sally Hopkins said: "Relocating Whitstable delivery office to Canterbury is part of our business-wide modernisation programme."

[Stormproof]

I thought it would'nt be long before the news about Whitstable was announced. Julie had gone very quiet both on here and facebook. I think the move will be weeks rather than months as all the duty frames are in place at Canterbury.