Concern for town's fire brigade in Princes Risborough

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Concern for town's fire brigade in Princes Risborough sorting office closure

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WORRIED residents have expressed their concern about the closure of the Princes Risborough Royal Mail sorting office as three relief firemen from the town's crew work there.

Royal Mail said it will close the office in Bell Street in the autumn and move it six and a half miles away to the Aylesbury Vale office.

But residents have asked what this will mean for the town's relief fire brigade as three workers will have further to travel.

At Princes Risborough Town Council meeting last Tuesday night two of the firemen who work at the sorting office asked for the council's support against the closure.

Station manager Nick Chadzynski said: “People are worried about the fire engine not being available. Three members are postmen. I will be staying whether it goes or stays.

“I will be full time at the station.”

He added that the service will hopefully be available all the time.

Royal Mail said they are re-locating the office due to the decreasing level of post and updating technology. It said there will be a system which will re-deliver post if residents are out when it is first delivered.

Fireman Andy Ball said they could consider renting or leasing another office and sell the current one. He also raised concerns about the amount of space at the Aylesbury Vale sorting office, including parking.

There are petitions circulating in the town to stop the closure.

Cllrs Bill Bendyshe-Brown and Alan Turner met with the sorting office staff and have arranged a meeting with John Bercow and hopefully David Lidington.

Councillors agreed to support the petition to try and keep the amenity in the town.

Royal Mail's spokesman, Sally Hopkins, said they are undertaking detailed planning for the move to ensure a smooth transition and will look at the number of parking spaces.

Regarding the fire service she said Royal Mail have “an excellent record of supporting our people through business changes and we are talking to all our people about how the move affects them.”

She said, with regard to leasing somewhere else,: “Where we no longer need sites for our operation due to excess capacity, we will dispose of these and use any proceeds to reinvest in our business.”

She said mail volumes are declining with 16 million fewer letters posted each year compared to five years ago but the number of parcels and packages are increasing, which means they will continually review their services.