Pot Holes. Rural Delivery

[DaveF14]

Looking for a solution on my delivery regarding access to one of my delivery points.

I have one house that I have to drive down about 500 yards to. The only access I have is to use the dirt track road but it is covered in massive pot holes. Some of them are massive and going a maximum of 5mph the bottom of the van is touching the road and does not sound good. In the last month I have already broken a spring because of it.

I have mentioned this road to my manager twice in last couple of months and all I have got back in return is either "I will look into it" or I will get round to putting a letter out to them to put a box up at the end of the road. But still he will not do it.

What should I do? Mention it again to my manager and demand he puts a letter out. Or ask politely to the customer that I am struggling to gain access and a box put up would be appreciated.

What is your experience with rural pot holes and how annoying are they to you?

[Pinky 1]

I have mentioned this road to my manager twice in last couple of months and all I have got back in return is either "I will look into it" or I will get round to putting a letter out to them to put a box up at the end of the road. But still he will not do it.

What should I do?

Well i would drive down the dirt track at 15mph. The damage done would get the manager's attention

[DGP1]

Tell the manager, it's up to them to deal with the issue. If they say you have to deliver then it's on their head about the damage caused to the van.

[rjack]

I do a rural,farms some tracks are really bad, its ok for farmers as they have land rovers and ride over the ruts. I also have to do 8 miles into the forestry they make farm tracks look like motorways, good fun pretending to be a rally driver though.

[Darren Bent]

I wonder do Royal Mail ever use 4x4 wheel vehicles like Land Rover for delivery in extreme rural areas. or they use crappy van from LDV/Peugot/Vauxhall/Ford.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I wonder do Royal Mail ever use 4x4 wheel vehicles like Land Rover for delivery in extreme rural areas. or they use crappy van from LDV/Peugot/Vauxhall/Ford.

Yes - one of the HD deliveries - here is a photo and thread that made the news in the winter a couple of years ago.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 18&t=23352" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[wacko74]

Just floor it, once you get above about 60mph you will just skim straight over the pot holes like they're not even there.

Remember what Colin Mcrae said... 'If in doubt, flat out!'

[Pinky 1]

I wonder do Royal Mail ever use 4x4 wheel vehicles like Land Rover for delivery in extreme rural areas.

Yes they do, we have a few in parts of Wales. They're very expensive to run and maintain though, so you don't see many about.

[Lounge Lizard]

Tell the manager, it's up to them to deal with the issue. If they say you have to deliver then it's on their head about the damage caused to the van.

I reported, in writing, similar to a manager many months ago but, predictably, nothing's been done. Not my problem really.

[k3nnyboy]

I would be wary about pushing too hard on this one. You may find yourself walking up the track to deliver the mail. Pretty sure that I read somewhere recently that RM are obliged to deliver if the location is within 15 minutes walking distance of the nearest access point. If the property owner gets a letter from your DOM threatening to withdraw delivery all sorts of s**t could happen.

[savo]

Working for hermes, using own van - have had some conflicts with customers over the state of access roads...

Most have been ok about it, and been prepared to either drive up meet me at top of access rd, or give me alternative address to deliver to...

1 or 2 have been a bit verbal when ive told them I wont be driving down the pot-holed track, though go strangely silent when I handover the parcel(s).

I always get the same argument - " The postie drives down here" YES- BUT THE POSTIE ISNT DRIVING HIS OWN VAN AND PAYING FOR SUSPENSION DAMAGE !!!!!

[UnhappyGremlin]

I would be wary about pushing too hard on this one. You may find yourself walking up the track to deliver the mail. Pretty sure that I read somewhere recently that RM are obliged to deliver if the location is within 15 minutes walking distance of the nearest access point. If the property owner gets a letter from your DOM threatening to withdraw delivery all sorts of s**t could happen.

If they make you walk and it takes 15 minutes each way, it's 30 minutes less work in other areas, so that is a non argument. RM would only threaten to remove deliveries if they know they are in the right, and/or the customer has been/is being unreasonable.
I personally would make mention again to manager/DOM and ask for their decision, witnessed obviously. Preferably in writing - like that would happen. If no action, go above their head to DSM, email Moya etc. You should not be put in a position where you could be held liable for damage etc. when it is the managers who have failed in their jobs, predominantly due to being useless.

[motch]

I would be wary about pushing too hard on this one. You may find yourself walking up the track to deliver the mail. Pretty sure that I read somewhere recently that RM are obliged to deliver if the location is within 15 minutes walking distance of the nearest access point. If the property owner gets a letter from your DOM threatening to withdraw delivery all sorts of s**t could happen.

If they make you walk and it takes 15 minutes each way, it's 30 minutes less work in other areas, so that is a non argument. RM would only threaten to remove deliveries if they know they are in the right, and/or the customer has been/is being unreasonable.
I personally would make mention again to manager/DOM and ask for their decision, witnessed obviously. Preferably in writing - like that would happen. If no action, go above their head to DSM, email Moya etc. You should not be put in a position where you could be held liable for damage etc. when it is the managers who have failed in their jobs, predominantly due to being useless.

no problem if you were made to walk down it anyway with deep potholes. after a few weeks you might accidently twist your ankle on the crappy track...

[DaveF14]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Been in to see the manager again asking if he has written the letter to the customer. And his response is that he still hasnt got round to doing it. I said to him that I refuse to go down the road and dont want to damage the van for a 3rd time and get in trouble for it. The mail has been sitting on my desk now for 4 days and building up. He knows about it and it is up to him to make a decision. Covering my own back.

[rjack]

we had one very bad track in our office and the Dom called the area fleet manager to look at the road and he said it was to bad for the vans to go down. he then spoke to the owner and they agreed to supply them with a royal mail box at the end of the lane, happy days since then he has been to two more farms and done the same thing.