DO closure forces Southall residents to travel to Hayes

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Delivery office closure forces Southall residents to travel to Hayes http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/ealing-n ... -28690715/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RESIDENTS in Southall will have to travel across the borough to Hayes to collect missed mail following the planned closure of a delivery office.

The Post Office sorting house, in South Road, Southall, is set to be relocated to another base in Hayes by autumn.

People living in the UB1, UB2 and UB18 post code areas will soon have to make the three mile journey to the Hayes office, in Silverdale Road, if they are out or at work when a package arrives.

Southall resident George Twyman said: "It'll be a bit of an inconvenience for people especially old people. I can go in the car but it's going to affect the old pensioners who have to get the bus.

"And there could be job losses. They've got minimal staff already. Every time I go in there to collect a package I only ever see two or three people."

The Royal Mail said the move is part of the larger problem of declining numbers of posted mail as a result of the boom in emails and online correspondence.

Across the UK, people are sending 16 millions fewer letters per day compared to five years ago.

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail said: "There will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of this change and Royal Mail will also reimburse its people for any extra mileage incurred as a result of the move.

"The move will provide improved working conditions, secure employment and a more cost effective operation."

There will be a detailed planning stage before the change begins to discuss the move with employees.