Royal Mail's sorting office bans parking in Tamworth

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail's sorting office bans parking in Tamworth – just before Christmas

http://www.tamworthherald.co.uk/Royal-M ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


No more customer parking - the sorting office in Blythe Street, Glascote.

CHRISTMAS shoppers eagerly awaiting their parcels will no longer be able to park at the town's sorting office to collect them, as part of new safety measures.

The sorting office in Blythe Street, off the Glascote Road, is currently having safety barriers installed, meaning that customers will no longer be able to gain access to the site, apart from on foot.

There will still be access for disabled drivers. Work is expected to be completed in the next few days.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We are installing a safety barrier at our delivery office in Blythe Street, which will restrict vehicle access to our premises.

"This is aimed at ensuring the safety of both visitors and staff.

"There will be disabled vehicle parking access and we will continue with pedestrian access for all customers for the collection of parcels and letters.

"We apologise for the inconvenience to customers, but the safety of staff and customers is of paramount importance to Royal Mail.

"Please also note that no-one needs to visit our delivery office if they choose not to.

"We are now able to leave items with a neighbour if no-one is at home during the day, when our postmen and women try to deliver something that needs a signature or is too big for the letterbox.

"We can also redeliver the item to the customer or to another address in the same postcode area, free of charge, on any day, including Saturdays."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.tamworthherald.co.uk/Residen ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

Residents' anger as Tamworth sorting office stops customer parking


IN the busiest week for postal deliveries, Tamworth residents have reacted angrily to Royal Mail’s plans to stop them parking at the sorting office.

Scores of customers will be calling in to collect Christmas parcels from the centre in Blythe Street, Glascote over the next few days – amid mounting fears about parking problems in the area.

Pedestrian access is the only way into the site, apart from limited disabled spaces, meaning that customers have to park in already congested nearby roads.

Karen South said: “I am concerned about the amount of traffic that will try and find somewhere to park in Blythe Street which is already very crowded because it is a residential street.

“I was interested to read that the post office will try to leave the parcel with a neighbour because I have had many occasions where I have had to visit the sorting office even though I live in a cul-de-sac and there are always people at home that would take in a parcel.”

Kettlebrook resident John Carthy said: “It is nice to see that the Royal Mail is concerned about staff and visitor safety at their sorting office in Blythe Street. It is a pity they don’t think the same about pedestrians and motorists using Blythe Street and Southwick Drive.

“Their staff park their private vehicles from the top of Blythe Street right in to Southwick Drive, completely blocking one side of the road. The shape of the road is the equivalent of an ‘s’ bend where vehicles would not be allowed to park under normal circumstances, maybe it’s different on a housing estate? They even park right on the junctions.

“Motorists using the two roads are often met by oncoming vehicles on the wrong side of the road and sometimes have to mount the pavement to pass one another, which is illegal. Can I make a suggestion that the staff park their private vehicles in the sorting office grounds which is nearly always empty during the day?”

Peter Rotherham said: “Has anyone asked the residents of the Blythe Street area just how they view having extra vehicles fighting for parking spaces in this already overcrowded part of the town?”

A Royal Mail spokesman said that the safety barrier was being installed to ensure the safety of staff and visitors.

In a previous statement to the Herald he said: “We apologise for the inconvenience to customers, but the safety of staff and customers is of paramount importance to Royal Mail.”