Health and safety ends postie bikes - Budleigh

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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The days of posties on their bikes in Budleigh will soon be a thing of the past, after Royal Mail confirmed plans to scrap two-wheeled deliveries in favour of extra vans.

The company says the move is necessary for health and safety reasons, as today’s post workers have to deliver heavier bags of mail.

However, there are fears that a new fleet of vans will be worse for the environment, and would not prevent accidents.

Budleigh deputy mayor Councillor Caz Sismore-Hunt said: “In the last three years they haven’t had any accidents on the bikes, and they are saying it is health and safety.

“And what about the carbon footprint? When Budleigh Salterton Town Council is putting a cycle track on The Green [with Section 106 money] to encourage people to use bicycles, they are giving them vans. Where’s the logic in that?”

The town council was asked this week to consider a potential lack of parking space for new vans, but councillors felt it would not be appropriate to get involved in the affairs of Royal Mail, which is now a privatised company.

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However, town mayor Councillor Steve Hall said he had been told that, if the change were made, some deliveries could take until 4pm.

Responding to concerns, a Royal Mail spokesman said the changes at the Budleigh delivery office, which delivers to the town and surrounding villages, would probably happen next year.

He added: “Royal Mail is making a number of changes to delivery methods as part of a £2bn modernisation of its entire operation.

“As we deliver fewer letters but more parcels than we did in the past, we are removing bicycles from our operations across the UK.

“They are being replaced with vans and trolleys that enable us to take the weight off the shoulders of our staff and therefore deliver mail more securely and safely.”

[wookie]

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“They are being replaced with vans and trolleys that enable us to take the weight off the shoulders of our staff and therefore deliver mail more securely and safely.”

Same old story I know, but managers do not enforce trolley use as they know it takes longer!

[clashcityrocker]

Same old story I know, but managers do not enforce trolley use as they know it takes longer!

Managers don't need to enforce trolley use.
We need to impose it on ourselves.
Where are the reps? Where are the H&S reps? Where are the workplace coaches?

[Ahebban]

Where are the reps? Where are the H&S reps? Where are the workplace coaches?

Speaking from personal experience, there is little any H&S Rep can do if staff and management are not prepared to support his, very often, lone voice in health and safety matters. Reporting the matter to your ASR usually comes up against DSM intransigence. However, getting the local Environmental cum Health and Safety Enforcer involved can make a huge difference if you can convince him to get involved.

Royal Mail do not like outsiders coming in and laying down the law (literally), but they have no choice but to comply with any written instruction from them. Hence Royal Mail do there level-best to make non-reporting of accidents a priority, in order that such information is out of sight from HSE etc.

[motch]

We had a revision about 2 years ago, all bikes to go, but now we have about 20% of duties using bikes, or part bike/van. I thought all bikes were to go? It is generally easier using bikes though and definetely quicker in most cases.

we have guys using bag on shoulder the whole time and they cannot get done. I keep telling them to use a trolley and therefore leaving more cutoffs, but they will not