MP Rebecca Harris delivers letters to unmade roads

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9349089 ... ade_roads/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris has been hand-delivering letters to homes on unmade roads cited unsafe by Royal Mail.

Royal Mail suspended services to 12 unmade roads in Benfleet last week, claiming the streets were too dangerous for door-to-door deliveries.

Rebecca Harris and councillors Colin Riley and Wendy Goodwin hand-delivered a letter to residents affected by the ban, detailing what action the council is taking towards persuading Royal Mail to continue deliveries to the roads.

It also included an appeal form for residents to officially challenge the Royal Mail management's decision.

Rebecca Harris said: "I have walked all of the roads affected and although I would never want postal workers to be put at unreasonable risk, I do not believe all these roads suddenly pose enough of a danger to warrant a blanket over-night ban.

“After delivering safely to these roads for decades, it is unacceptable to withdraw the mail service to hundreds of people literally overnight without any warning or consultation.”

The roads affected are Catherine Road, Keswick Road, Rhoda Road, Jarvis Road, Bowers Road, Thundersley Park Road, Glen Road, Hill Road, The Chase, Swale Road, Wensley Road and Windermere Road.

The MP has invited Royal Mail Chief Executive Moya Greene to visit Benfleet to justify the change and see the affected roads for herself.

[DGP1]

Well, if she's able to deliver them then she can do it permanently

[POSTMAN]

Well, if she's able to deliver them then she can do it permanently

And if she's got time to do stuff like that,can't the HOC lapse their MP's.

[Stormproof]

Rebecca Harris said: "I have walked all of the roads affected and although I would never want postal workers to be put at unreasonable risk, I do not believe all these roads suddenly pose enough of a danger to warrant a blanket over-night ban.

Anyone can walk the letters down the road the issue is with damage to vans. Probably took her hours to do those few roads.

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

Let's see what she thinks after pushing a HCT laden with ballast to its maximum (104Kg net for old style ones) along these roads, or using a vehicle that has has pre and post delivery thorough inspections for damage...

[Darren Bent]

It might not be safe for cars or trolley but legs and footwork can do area which is safe enough. As long there is no chance of injuries especially when it is snowing or raining it should be safe. But again I don't know the location.

[Royal_Fail]

I like how its our fault why isn't she on at council to fix the bloody roads

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Now bumpy road which stopped Royal Mail delivering sees council refuse to collect recycling too Council tells 245 homeowners lorries cannot navigate unmade roads to empty bins


First it was the Royal Mail that boycotted homes on bumpy roads in Benfleet, Essex - now the council has withdrawn its recycling collections.

They've told 245 householders that the lorries can't get down their unmade roads to empty their green bins.

Last week postal deliveries to The Chase and 11 other unmade roads in Benfleet, were halted, with the Royal Mail claiming the poor conditions of the roads meant door-to-door deliveries were too dangerous for staff.

Now Castle Point Council says it won't collect recycling or food waste.
Jean Smith (front right), 77, together with neighbours who live along the road. She has to carry her waste to the section that is maintained by the council, despite the vans using her driveway to turn around in

Jean Smith (front right), 77, together with neighbours who live along the road. She has to carry her waste to the section that is maintained by the council, despite the vans using her driveway to turn around in

Last week postal deliveries to The Chase (pictured) and 11 other unmade roads in Benfleet, were halted, with the Royal Mail claiming the poor conditions of the roads meant door-to-door deliveries were too dangerous for staff

Last week postal deliveries to The Chase (pictured) and 11 other unmade roads in Benfleet, were halted, with the Royal Mail claiming the poor conditions of the roads meant door-to-door deliveries were too dangerous for staff

Jean Smith, 77, who lives in the unmade part of the Chase, Benfleet, has to carry her waste to the section that is maintained by the council, despite the vans using her driveway to turn around in.

She said: 'Some residents do not bother recycling altogether because it simply isn't collected. I have to keep bottles in my car until I am able to get to a recycling bank.

'We do have our black sacks collected once a week so I don't understand why the recycling vans can't fit.'

Residents claim their efforts to maintain the roads are being rendered obsolete by large lorries using the road as a short-cut to the A13, despite signs forbidding heavy duty vehicles from using it.

Mrs Smith said: 'For the last four years it has been getting worse and worse. We do not mind taking care of the road, but whatever we put down gets ruined by the lorries which annoys me. We just want our normal amenities returned.'

Hazel Banks, 53, who stables her horses near The Chase, said: 'Over the last few years the road has deteriorated incredibly.

'We lay the ground work down to improve the road and it does not last five minutes because the lorries drive down so fast. You can't be expected to make up a road when you have seven and a half tonne vehicles like that coming up and down.'

Ann Horgan, head of governance at Castle Point Council, said recycling wasn't being picked up at the moment but would be in the future.

She said: 'At present we are unable to provide a recycling collection service to the unmade section of the Chase as it is not possible to get our larger collection vehicles to this and other unmade roads in the borough.

'However we will be able to offer a recycling collection to the Chase and other homes in the spring 2012 as the Council has a new small collection vehicle on order.

'In the meantime residents are able to participate in recycling by taking their recycling to the recycling centre for Household Waste, Canvey Road, Canvey Island.'

Notification letters from Royal Mail had last week told householders the uneven road surfaces presented an 'unacceptable risk' and this was their last delivery.

The move means some residents must make a return journey of almost an hour to collect their post from the sorting office.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1dDvS2Juu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;