Rishton post box campaign blow

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... aign_blow/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CAMPAIGNERS battling to get a ‘well used’ Rishton postbox restored have been dealt another blow.

The box was removed from James Street as part of a redevelopment in 2010, leaving more than 1,000 residents, many of them pensioners, with a steep climb to the nearest facility.

They claim the nearest box is more than half a mile away.

Bnd despite a petition containing hundreds of names being delivered to Royal Mail bosses, the situation remained unresolved.

Fresh hope was offered last week when new leglisation was passed, stating 98 per cent of UK households should have a postbox within half a mile of their front door.



But after an investigation, Royal Mail confirmed it had no plans to replace the removed box.

Spokesperson Val Bodden said: “The box in Lower Rishton was removed because it was on private property and the owner of the property asked us to remove it. We are obliged to remove boxes under these circumstances.

“Our procedure then is to check whether there are sufficient posting facilities in the vicinity, and replace the box nearby if there are not. In Lower Rishton, there are adequate facilities and the next nearest postbox is 300 metres away, which is well within the new guidelines of within half a mile to the nearest postbox.”

Rishton councillor Ken Moss said offers from the council to pay for a new box had been refused by Royal Mail and said its latest statement was ‘pretty much the response I expected.’ He said: “I've never had an answer as to why it would be so inconvenient to collect from a box in lower Rishton when it was perfectly serviceable before and I think that residents would dispute the claim of 300 metres to the nearest box. It's all rather disappointing.”

Coun Moss said he would write to regulator Ofcom directly and ask them to investigate. He said their word is final and he would respect any decision they make.

[RedBagMan]

I've asked a similar question regarding a "removed" post box on my walk (did it via the RoyalMail.Com website - four weeks ago).

No reply as yet ... any tips on a better way to "pose the question" - I've customers who want to know ...

[UnhappyGremlin]

I've asked a similar question regarding a "removed" post box on my walk (did it via the RoyalMail.Com website - four weeks ago).

No reply as yet ... any tips on a better way to "pose the question" - I've customers who want to know ...

It's better coming from the customers themselves.
Give them the customer services number and they will then find out why it was removed, and whether or not it is intended to be replaced.
They can then contact Ofcom about it.