Fears raised over future of villages post delivery offices

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Fears raised over future of Cambridgeshire villages’ post delivery offices

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Fears have been raised over the future of some 12 to 14 postal delivery offices in Cambridgeshire amid claims some could close.

Representatives from Communication Workers Union Eastern No4 branch have said they were informed that Royal Mail plans to close between 12 to 14 village delivery offices in the region.

Villages whose sub delivery offices (SPDO) the union said it believes are under threat from closure include Abington, Balsham, Bottisham, Bourne, Comberton, Elsworth, Comberton, Foxton, Great Wilbraham, Lode, Quy, Shelford and Swavesey.

A sub delivery office is a sorting and collection facility that is based within a post office. The closure of a delivery office does not necessarily mean a post office branch would also shut.

Mark Toner, branch secretary for the Eastern No4 Branch, said: "These closures will not only impact on the staff that work in these offices and who are being compulsory transferred into Cambridge.

"In the longer term [they] could impact on the continued financial viability of these post office branches and could lead to further post office closures in the future.

"Currently the Royal Mail contributes to the running of these offices with payments often in the tens of thousands of pounds every year.

"Without these payments many of these independent businesses will just not be able to survive by selling post office products alone."

He added if the village offices closed it could mean villagers would be forced to make a round trip in and out of Cambridge to pick up undelivered items of post.

However Royal Mail told the News that if they close a sorting operation which is based within a post office, it is standard practice to negotiate a local solution for customers to collect parcels and undelivered mail.

Morag Turnbull, a spokesman for Royal Mail, said: "There are no immediate plans to change the way we sort mail or deliver mail in the Cambridge area.

"Royal Mail operates an open and honest policy with our staff and any modernisation or efficiency proposals are always discussed first with them."

She added: "As a commercial business, operating in a market that is open to competition from other postal operators, Royal Mail is always looking at ways to being more efficient, with minimal impact on its customers.

"Royal Mail would like to reassure residents that if any decision is taken to change how we provide our services, we will ensure that there is an appropriate and local alterative for collecting undelivered mail."

The concern comes after the News previously reported on villagers in Foxton coming together against the proposed closure of their sorting office.

A petition has since been circling the village in a bid to keep the branch open and save residents a 20-mile round trip to Cambridge to pick up parcels.

Deborah Roberts, district councillor for Foxton, called possible closures "worrying".

She said at the time: "This is another service of considerable benefit to the community being taken away from the people."