Postmen's bikes to become a thing of the past in Crawley

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THE familiar sight of a postman doing his round on a bike will soon be a thing of the past.

Plans are in place to scrap posties' bicycles in the town, and replace them with a combination of vans and golf buggy-like delivery vehicles – partly for health and safety reasons.

The move is in response to a decrease in traditional letters in favour of e-mails, and an increase in the popularity of internet shopping, which has led to larger quantities of bigger items being sent via the Royal Mail.

One Crawley postman, who asked not to be named, said: "The bicycles are all going and are going to be replaced.

"It's because people are sending fewer letters but the amount of bulky items has gone up.

"We're looking at a system that uses a van and a postal golf-buggy, people may have seen these on some routes already.

"The van will deliver the very bulky items, while the buggy will go door to door, delivering letters and parcels.

"It's going to take a little bit of getting used to but if we can get the system running smoothly, I don't think it should cause too much of a delay – we're not getting any extra time to make the deliveries as far as I am aware so we're going to have to make it work."

Community campaigner Vanessa Kirby, 63, of Salvington Road, Bewbush, got in touch with the News when she became aware of what was happening.

She said: "I think it's a shame if they are scrapping bicycles.

"It's not just the tradition. You do wonder if it's going to be any slower.

"I would be surprised if any new system is as fast."

A Royal Mail spokesman confirmed that new delivery methods were being introduced as part of a drive to modernise the business.

He said: "We are investing in new equipment to carry these items to customers even more securely.

"The new equipment – large and small trolleys and small vans – also reduces the risk of injury to our postmen and women from carrying heavier mail bags.

"Removing bicycles from parts of our operation will result in a number of benefits.

"As we deliver fewer letters but more parcels than we did in the past, the switch to vans and trolleys will enable us to take the weight off the shoulders of our staff.

"In addition, this move will help reduce cycling accidents involving our staff."