Post office facing 'disaster' as new delivery starts

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Post office facing 'disaster' as new delivery starts with letter backlog

http://www.yourcanterbury.co.uk/p_139/A ... er_backlog" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kent’s postal service is heading for disaster according to a union, after a new delivery system – due to be rolled out countywide – led to a massive backlog in deliveries.

The new method, which has been introduced in Herne Bay and Faversham, uses two posties, a van and trolleys, on each round rather than a single postman on bike or foot.

Royal Mail said the changes would combat the problem of heavy mail bags and multiple trips back to the sorting office to replenish workers, and instead all the post can be brought out at once.

But the new system, combined with the snow and Christmas post, led to a massive backlog in Herne Bay and staff had to deliver letters to homes and businesses last Sunday.

Royal Mail said although this does not usually happen, there may be more Sunday deliveries while the organisation tries to tackle the build-up.

Secretary of the Kent Invicta branch of the Communication Workers Union, David Banbury said the changes were causing problems, and could lead to a postal disaster and when rolled out countywide.

"Under the new system postmen have to take trolleys with them," he said. "Where before they would use shortcuts, such as posting letters through one door and then reaching over to the neighbour’s door or cutting across paths to get to the next house, now they have to go up and down every path with the trolley.

"They’re not allowed to leave the trolley at the end of the path. It’s taking them so much longer to get the job done and it’s causing fatigue.

"They should have been working like this all along. Instead the Royal Mail planners decided to bring in the new system just before the busy Christmas period.

"There need to be additional staff to implement the system, but Royal Mail is cutting staffing levels. It’s heading for disaster."

Royal Mail is introducing the changes to allow for the increase in packets and parcels as more people choose to shop online.

A spokesman said the move would take weight off postmen and women’s backs, reduce cycling accidents and stop multiple trips to and from the sorting office to replenish posties. The change was backed by the Communication Workers’ Union, but Mr Banbury said it was not going to work if Royal Mail kept staffing levels down.

Tom Willis, Royal Mail’s South East England operations director, confirmed mail was being delivered last Sunday in Herne Bay to tackle the delays with mail.

"I wish to apologise to customers who have experienced delays in receiving their mail," he said.

"However, we are focused on improving deliveries in Herne Bay. Extra staff have been deployed and are working extremely hard. The operational changes we have made in Herne Bay are part of the modernisation of Royal Mail.

"It is vital that we place our business on a more efficient and sustainable footing for the future.

"These changes, based on a national agreement between Royal Mail and our union and endorsed by postmen and women through a national ballot, will ultimately allow us to achieve this aim."

[Biker Mouse]

"Post office facing 'disaster' as new delivery starts with letter backlog"
Don't they mean Royal Mail? Winds me up every time! RM & PO are two different companies within the same organisation!

[daveyeff]

our office says its ok to leave the trolleys at the end of a footpath, as long as its kept in sight at all times. they make the rules up as they go along!!

[robd]

our office says its ok to leave the trolleys at the end of a footpath, as long as its kept in sight at all times. they make the rules up as they go along!!

Some confusion here,it's the lightweight golf trolley that the story refers to,and it must stay with you at all times because the mail is easily accessible.

[fishtank]

The lightwieght trolley does not have to stay with you at all times.
It is perfectly acceptable to leave it at the gate...this is laid out in the RM Delivery Equipment Security Procedure

security3.jpg

It is acceptable to leave the LWT unattended for up to 1 minute.
Since pegasus only gives you 6.8 seconds to get to the door and back it's not really an issue.
With a packet it's 28 seconds if the're in and 78 seconds if you have to p739 it but what's 18 seconds between friends.

[dvbuk55]

Tom Willis, Royal Mail’s South East England operations director said:

It is vital that we place our business on a more efficient and sustainable footing for the future.

"These changes, based on a national agreement between Royal Mail and our union and endorsed by postmen and women through a national ballot, will ultimately allow us to achieve this aim."

Now there's a telling statement if ever I saw one.

[fishtank]

Tom Willis, Royal Mail’s South East England operations director said:

It is vital that we place our business on a more efficient and sustainable footing for the future.

"These changes, based on a national agreement between Royal Mail and our union and endorsed by postmen and women through a national ballot, will ultimately allow us to achieve this aim."

Now there's a telling statement if ever I saw one.

Surely his union would be Unite....
Don't tell me it was Unite who actually negotiated BT2010....
It does makes a little more sense though.....

[dvbuk55]

Tom Willis, Royal Mail’s South East England operations director said:

It is vital that we place our business on a more efficient and sustainable footing for the future.

"These changes, based on a national agreement between Royal Mail and our union and endorsed by postmen and women through a national ballot, will ultimately allow us to achieve this aim."

Now there's a telling statement if ever I saw one.

Surely his union would be Unite....
Don't tell me it was Unite who actually negotiated BT2010....
It does makes a little more sense though.....

[Judgee]

"However, we are focused on improving deliveries in Herne Bay. Extra staff have been deployed and are working extremely hard. The operational changes we have made in Herne Bay are part of the modernisation of Royal Mail.

Ermmm I thought the whole point of the revision was to cut staffing levels to increase profit?

[daveyeff]

our office says its ok to leave the trolleys at the end of a footpath, as long as its kept in sight at all times. they make the rules up as they go along!!

Some confusion here,it's the lightweight golf trolley that the story refers to,and it must stay with you at all times because the mail is easily accessible.

aye thats the one i use. been told i can leave it at the end of the footpath, as long as its in sight.