Closure of sorting office is proposed

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 04 Dec 2008, 09:52

http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/394 ... _proposed/

A COMMUNITY faces losing a vital amenity after Royal Mail announced it was looking at closing its sorting office.

Royal Mail has confirmed it is looking into the possibility of shutting the sorting office in Wotton-under-Edge, where around 25 staff work, and merging it with the sorting office in Cam.

A spokesman for the company said it was reviewing its operations so it could provide a quality service "at a value for money price".

The town council said it strongly opposed the idea of closing the sorting office and a local postman added the closure would affect both him and the community.

"The more we can do to try to stop the closure of the sorting office the better really," said Mark Spencer, a postman in Wotton.

"For the community it will mean that everyone will have to travel to Cam to pick up undelivered mail and special deliveries, which isn’t easy because there isn’t any good public transport.

"From my point of view it will mean I have to travel the seven miles to Cam four times a day, which will take 40 minutes away from the time I have to make deliveries in Wotton. This whole proposal just doesn’t seem well thought out."

Wotton Town Council is angry that they were not notified about the possible closure and is asking Royal Mail for full consultation to take place before any decision is made.

Cllr John Cordwell, district and town councillor for Wotton, said: "I have been trying to find out what is going on but I am getting nowhere. We need to be informed what is going to happen to the sorting office so we can act accordingly.

"The council has a number of concerns, including the fact it will be a serious inconvenience for residents and business in the town."

Fears have also been raised over what will happen to the 25 staff at the sorting office.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "In a highly competitive postal market we need to constantly monitor our operations to ensure we can provide a high quality service at a value for money price.

"As part of a general review of our services we have been looking at the possible relocation of our Wotton-under-Edge delivery office operation to the delivery office at Dursley, and we are currently undertaking a feasibility study into the advantages and implications of such a move.

"We would emphasise that no decisions have been made at this stage and would reassure customers that it is ‘business as usual’ in relation to their local services."

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 04 Dec 2008, 18:00

Small delivery offices it seems are now up for the chop.

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 04 Dec 2008, 18:10

Big Daz wrote:Small delivery offices it seems are now up for the chop.

Then it will be the medium sized delivery offices, then the large delivery offices.

We're all doomed.

NWpostie · Post by **NWpostie** » 04 Dec 2008, 21:54

Lounge Lizard wrote:
Big Daz wrote:Small delivery offices it seems are now up for the chop.
Then it will be the medium sized delivery offices, then the large delivery offices. We're all doomed.

It never used to be, the big cities offices used to subsidise rural offices and was one of the most secure jobs in the countryside, not anymore ..........