RM won't deliver post to woman who has no pavement outside

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail won't deliver post to woman who has no pavement outside home

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/pa ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ROYAL Mail is refusing to deliver post to a 62-year-old woman – because there is no pavement outside her home.

Deliveries have been suspended to Muriel Malam's Newchapel home on health and safety grounds.

It follows concerns that postal workers have to walk along a busy country lane to reach her Station Road home.

Mrs Malam had initially been forced to make a 12-mile round trip to Butt Lane sorting office every week to pick up her mail following the suspension.

But Mrs Malam is now able to collect her mail from a nearer post office after her case was taken up by Kidsgrove Town Council.

She said: "Royal Mail stopped delivering about eight or nine months ago.

"I went to Butt Lane sorting office to see what had happened and why I wasn't getting my post and they said that it was too dangerous for the postman to deliver to my house because there's no pavement.

"So now I have to go and collect my post myself.

"I don't have many important letters, but there was one occasion when I had a hospital appointment and I didn't receive the letter until the day before so I could have quite easily missed it.

"It's ridiculous because I have lived here for 12 years and now all of a sudden my post has stopped being delivered.

"The postman used to come at about midday when it was light and wasn't busy on the roads, but now all of a sudden it's too dangerous."

Royal Mail has told Mrs Malam that deliveries have been suspended following a risk assessment at her home.

The firm has suggested that Mrs Malam could put a post box at the end of her drive to make deliveries easier.

But Mrs Malam says her postman would have to walk across her nextdoor neighbour's property to get to it.

She added: "I can now pick up my post from Kidsgrove Post Office which is a bit closer, but that is not the point."

Neighbours today spoke of their shock that deliveries had been suspended for one of the villagers.

Jimmy Crichton, aged 57, who is the landlord of the nearby Grapes Inn, in Station Road, said: "This decision beggars belief.

"I agree that Station Road is a bad road but there are bad roads all over the place and that doesn't mean people living in them have no post delivered."

Francis Thomas, aged 45, whose house is a few doors away in Station Road, said: "What a terrible way to treat this lady.

"It is not an easy bend outside her house, but I'm sure postmen could get down there safely if they are careful. "After all you get horses being ridden past her house and they come to no harm."

A Royal Mail spokesman confirmed that the company can suspend deliveries on the grounds of health and safety.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Actually I am with RM on this one - looking at street view it looks fine till you go a little further round the corner and its aspect changes - very dangerous I reckon. The suggestion about putting a box on the fence of her property is a good one, and despite what she says you would not have to cross her neighbours property.

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[motherhubbard]

Butt Lane.
Perhaps all delivery offices should be sited in a road called Butt Lane.
It somehow seems depressingly appropriate.

[Pat Ostman]

Comments are brilliant and uneducated as usual.

Get another job then you pathetic wimps,

sue their backsides off

I know a couple of ten year olds who could manage that if they like. Pathetic.

They don't even knock on the door (if they do then they use a feather)

Bet they make it to the door at Christmas when they come knocking for a tip!!

She does have a driveway though, can they not tie it to a van delivery or collection?

I have delivered to much worse having said that, on foot.

[PhilthyPhil]

There is a gateway next to the SLOW sign on the road, I don't see why it would be that dangerous to use that entrance since traffic coming around the bend should be on the other side of the road. I agree it is a nasty bend but I think suspending delivery is a bit OTT. I also don't get why they don't notify customers of a suspension of delivery or send a manager round, to just all of a sudden stop delivering out of the blue and not inform the cutomer until they ask why they are getting no mail is wrong.

[Lounge Lizard]

There is a gateway next to the SLOW sign on the road, I don't see why it would be that dangerous to use that entrance since traffic coming around the bend should be on the other side of the road. I agree it is a nasty bend but I think suspending delivery is a bit OTT. I also don't get why they don't notify customers of a suspension of delivery or send a manager round, to just all of a sudden stop delivering out of the blue and not inform the cutomer until they ask why they are getting no mail is wrong.

Do you mean the gateway just beyond that white boomerang ?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Phil is right - I missed it first time as it was blurred but approx 5 yards from the end of the footpath is a small garden gate and a pathway to the door.

In retrospect it does seem a little OTT stopping deliveries - wonder if their is a P&L change going on.

Edit - link to street view of the address in question http://g.co/maps/ve2vb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DGP1]

TBH if that is a reason to suspend deliveries then there are hundreds of addresses like that in my area. But that said, a little bit of thought would soon sort it out, as has been said, a box on the fence or gaining access through the side gate or parking into the driveway and delivering from there, really too many managers not doing their jobs and sorting small problems out before they end up in the press.

[Lounge Lizard]

"woman who has no pavement outside home" There's no pavement outside most addresses I deliver to, but I still go there and don't moan about it.

[arnold cheshire]

theres another house around the corner do they get their mail ????????????//

[arnold cheshire]

12 mile round trip i dont think so .. Why do they always mention hospital apointments do they send them out at least two or three month in advance ? o royal mail stopped delivering about eight months ago ! so why has she taken so long to complain????

[arnold cheshire]

this is like the notw have they got the right house

[arnold cheshire]

Butt Lane.
Perhaps all delivery offices should be sited in a road called Butt Lane.
It somehow seems depressingly appropriate.

butt lane is a town also know as talke