Last post for the Royal Mail bike

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Last post for the Royal Mail bike: After 120 years, cycles give way to mechanised trolleys - made in China

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0Oyk8AoM2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


He has been an everyday part of British life for more than 120 years.

But now the pedalling postie looks set to go the same way as many village post offices and the early morning delivery. . . into the history books.

Royal Mail is to phase out nearly all of the 25,000 British-made bikes used by postmen and women across the country because they can’t carry enough mail or travel far enough.

Instead, postmen and women will be expected to travel to their patches in vans – and deliver their letters and parcels from trolleys made in China.

Unions fear the move is a precursor to Royal Mail closing local delivery centres and cutting the hours of staff.

The £450 bikes are still used on a quarter of routes – but under the new plan only 500 will survive.

They are made by Stratford-upon-Avon-based firm Pashley Cycles, which has supplied them since 1971.

A spokesman for Pashley said: ‘We expect our arrangement with Royal Mail to end imminently.’

Royal Mail thinks the bicycles are ineffective because postmen sometimes have to do several rounds to deliver all the mail.

Under the plan, being tested in Cambridge, Plymouth, Durham and Lincoln, up to three postmen will deliver mail across a wide area before driving their van to another location.

It will mean workers will no longer have to return to base to collect more items but could also signal the end of neighbourhoods having their own dedicated postman.

Some postmen will be given a four-wheel pull-along trolley, while others on rounds with steep hills will get battery-powered ones.

It is believed that Royal Mail will extend the scheme nationwide, although some postmen will be allowed to keep bicycles on rural routes.

A spokesman for the Communication Workers Union said that they broadly backed the move but were worried it would lead to cuts.

She said: ‘Job losses and office closures will be a very real threat. Once deliveries are centralised, there will be no need for so many local offices.’

A Royal Mail spokesman said the changes were needed to ‘deliver the mail as efficiently as possible’.

He added: ‘We will continue to use a range of vans, trolleys and bikes where appropriate. There are no plans to phase out bikes completely.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0OykGBbaq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PrestwickPostie]

what i have noticed about using Trolleys in our office is that it takes 30 minutes longer to deliver the mail .... so bring it on :cfo

[piranha]

what i have noticed about using Trolleys in our office is that it takes 30 minutes longer to deliver the mail .... so bring it on :cfo

At least also they take up practically the whole pavement! I will avoid using one for as long as possible.

[Wessex]

Has anyone any idea when these trolleys will be rolled out (no pun intended )nationwide and will it mean the end of my spdo

[stokes11eg]

Last post for the Royal Mail bike: After 120 years, cycles give way to mechanised trolleys - made in China

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0Oyk8AoM2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


He has been an everyday part of British life for more than 120 years.

But now the pedalling postie looks set to go the same way as many village post offices and the early morning delivery. . . into the history books.

Royal Mail is to phase out nearly all of the 25,000 British-made bikes used by postmen and women across the country because they can’t carry enough mail or travel far enough. Ohh'last post for Britsh bike"? I thoght they weretalking about me.
hic.

Instead, postmen and women will be expected to travel to their patches in vans – and deliver their letters and parcels from trolleys made in China.

Unions fear the move is a precursor to Royal Mail closing local delivery centres and cutting the hours of staff.

The £450 bikes are still used on a quarter of routes – but under the new plan only 500 will survive.

They are made by Stratford-upon-Avon-based firm Pashley Cycles, which has supplied them since 1971.

A spokesman for Pashley said: ‘We expect our arrangement with Royal Mail to end imminently.’

Royal Mail thinks the bicycles are ineffective because postmen sometimes have to do several rounds to deliver all the mail.

Under the plan, being tested in Cambridge, Plymouth, Durham and Lincoln, up to three postmen will deliver mail across a wide area before driving their van to another location.

It will mean workers will no longer have to return to base to collect more items but could also signal the end of neighbourhoods having their own dedicated postman.

Some postmen will be given a four-wheel pull-along trolley, while others on rounds with steep hills will get battery-powered ones.

It is believed that Royal Mail will extend the scheme nationwide, although some postmen will be allowed to keep bicycles on rural routes.

A spokesman for the Communication Workers Union said that they broadly backed the move but were worried it would lead to cuts.

She said: ‘Job losses and office closures will be a very real threat. Once deliveries are centralised, there will be no need for so many local offices.’

A Royal Mail spokesman said the changes were needed to ‘deliver the mail as efficiently as possible’.

He added: ‘We will continue to use a range of vans, trolleys and bikes where appropriate. There are no plans to phase out bikes completely.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0OykGBbaq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[stokes11eg]

Last post for the Royal Mail bike: After 120 years, cycles give way to mechanised trolleys - made in China

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0Oyk8AoM2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


He has been an everyday part of British life for more than 120 years.

But now the pedalling postie looks set to go the same way as many village post offices and the early morning delivery. . . into the history books.

Royal Mail is to phase out nearly all of the 25,000 British-made bikes used by postmen and women across the country because they can’t carry enough mail or travel far enough. Ohh'last post for Britsh bike"? I thoght they weretalking about me.
hic.

Instead, postmen and women will be expected to travel to their patches in vans – and deliver their letters and parcels from trolleys made in China.

Unions fear the move is a precursor to Royal Mail closing local delivery centres and cutting the hours of staff.

The £450 bikes are still used on a quarter of routes – but under the new plan only 500 will survive.

They are made by Stratford-upon-Avon-based firm Pashley Cycles, which has supplied them since 1971.

A spokesman for Pashley said: ‘We expect our arrangement with Royal Mail to end imminently.’

Royal Mail thinks the bicycles are ineffective because postmen sometimes have to do several rounds to deliver all the mail.

Under the plan, being tested in Cambridge, Plymouth, Durham and Lincoln, up to three postmen will deliver mail across a wide area before driving their van to another location.

It will mean workers will no longer have to return to base to collect more items but could also signal the end of neighbourhoods having their own dedicated postman.

Some postmen will be given a four-wheel pull-along trolley, while others on rounds with steep hills will get battery-powered ones.

It is believed that Royal Mail will extend the scheme nationwide, although some postmen will be allowed to keep bicycles on rural routes.

A spokesman for the Communication Workers Union said that they broadly backed the move but were worried it would lead to cuts.

She said: ‘Job losses and office closures will be a very real threat. Once deliveries are centralised, there will be no need for so many local offices.’

A Royal Mail spokesman said the changes were needed to ‘deliver the mail as efficiently as possible’.

He added: ‘We will continue to use a range of vans, trolleys and bikes where appropriate. There are no plans to phase out bikes completely.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z0OykGBbaq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:crazy:Oh-'Last post for old british bike'? I thought they were talking about me .hic.

[PrestwickPostie]

what i have noticed about using Trolleys in our office is that it takes 30 minutes longer to deliver the mail .... so bring it on :cfo

At least also they take up practically the whole pavement! I will avoid using one for as long as possible.

on my delivery their is a couple of streets where the pavement is not wide enough to take a trolley so i see where you are coming from mate