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Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, gives a damning assessment of Royal Mail’s behaviour so far over the closure of the Hornsey Delivery Office.
The ease and convenience of online shopping has changed the way we buy food, clothes, presents and more. We order more online than ever before, and get it delivered right to our doors. It’s particularly convenient for people with busy lives, and for those who are unable to get out much.Lynne Featherstone MP wrote:"This came out of the blue. Less than three weeks ago, a Royal Mail representative wrote to me saying: ‘I can confirm that there are no plans in place to close Hornsey Delivery Office.’"
But this does mean we have become more reliant on our local Royal Mail delivery office and parcel collection point here in Hornsey and the surrounding area. So many local residents use the collect point every day, to pick up the parcels that the postman couldn’t deliver to them earlier in the day.
It came as no surprise when – in less than 24 hours – 500 local residents signed my petition calling on Royal Mail to rethink their plans to move the Hornsey delivery office to N19, and to close the local parcel collection point. I have no doubt that there will be at least 500 more by the time this column is published.
That’s right – Royal Mail has announced that our local delivery office in Hornsey will be moved to the Bush Industrial Estate in N19 in September this year.
Lynne Featherstone MP wrote:"It came as no surprise when – in less than 24 hours – 500 local residents signed my petition calling on Royal Mail to rethink their plans to move the Hornsey delivery office to N19, and to close the local parcel collection point."
After local residents and I successfully campaigned to prevent the closure in 2012, Royal Mail assured me that we would be kept informed of any future plans. Yet this came out of the blue. Less than three weeks ago, a Royal Mail representative wrote to me saying: “I can confirm that there are no plans in place to close Hornsey Delivery Office.”
This is simply unacceptable. Royal Mail has not kept us informed, and not taken into account the views and needs of local people and customers when making this decision.
The delivery office and parcel collection point are vital and valuable local resources. Many residents simply won’t be able to travel all the way to N19 to pick up their parcels – so will have to make alternative arrangements.
I have launched a petition, calling for Royal Mail to rethink and – at the very least – for them to provide a replacement parcel collection point in the local area.
Even if we can’t save the office itself, the local Lib Dems and I will fight with residents again to keep a parcel collection service in N8. I have already called a meeting with the top officers at Royal Mail and will be putting the case very strongly to them.
Please do sign the petition, at http://www.tinyurl.com/HornseyDeliveryOffice" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; so we can show Royal Mail just how important our local parcel collection point is.