Royal Mail Reveal Time-Scale For Mail Centre Plans - Herts

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Royal Mail's confirmed it's new hub in Hemel Hempstead will start processing post from August this year...

The company says it's liaising with Workers and Unions to ensure everyone who wants to stay with them will be able to - after news the Stevenage and Watford Mail centres will close.

Hitchin delivery office is set to relocate to Stevenage next spring.

But, some workers say they're unhappy with the unheaval.

Royal Mail's Thames Valley Regional Operations Director, Mark Ellis said: "This represents a significant investment to modernise Royal Mail operations through new technology and working conditions for our people.

The new mail centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art automation which can sort mail more efficiently and much faster, which will enable us to give better service and value to our customers.

It will incorporate the latest energy-saving measures and provide our people with a more modern working environment.

We are also investing in more handheld tracking devices and a range of new delivery equipment better suited to the mix of mail we are now delivering to customers, which includes more parcels and packets.

Our service to customers will continue to be a top priority during these changes. We will do all we can to minimise disruption to customers and ensure we maintain the high level of service that they expect and deserve from Royal Mail."

Faced with declining mail volumes and increasingly tough trading conditions, these changes to our operations are vital to put Royal Mail on a sound, secure and sustainable footing.

As part of our business-wide investment and modernisation programme, we are investing in new technology and equipment and upgraded operational facilities to ensure we have the most efficient and effective network for delivering the post.

At the same time we need to respond to the huge growth in electronic communications and the resulting decline in overall mail volumes - down over 20% since 2005-06."

Mr Ellis added: "These essential operational changes also mean change for our people. As we announced originally in November 2010, it is anticipated that around 300 fewer jobs will be required, out of the 4,500 people we currently employ in the area.

We have consulted our unions every step of the way and we have a great track record for managing such changes without recourse to compulsory redundancies.

We are working together to help our employees through this change and we are committed to doing everything we can, in line with our agreement with the union, to make these changes on a voluntary basis.

By asking people to demonstrate a reasonable flexibility, we are confident that everyone who wants to remain in Royal Mail will be able to do so."

[Lounge Lizard]

"At the same time we need to respond to the huge growth in electronic communications and the resulting decline in overall mail volumes - down over 20% since 2005-06."

[Lincox]

State of the Art automation, my god I would not want to see what a non State of the Art machine churns out.

[barbario]

They said exactly the same things about the automation that was going into HWDC when it first opened and it turned out to be rubbish.

[teesdale]

Still no decision on the South West review, the last review. What happens to the mail centres; Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Dorset, Southampton, and Portsmouth. Also the future of Gloucester?