Hundreds sign petition against closure of a Sheffield DO

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Hundreds sign petition against possible closure of Sheffield mail office http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/hundreds- ... -1-7484710" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.thestar.co.uk/webimage/1.7484709.1443445242!/image/2860038131.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/2860038131.jpgA campaign against the potential closure of a postal sorting office in Sheffield has been launched.

Royal Mail says it is considering the possibility of relocating Sheffield South West Delivery Office on Ecclesall Road to the city centre office and no decision has been made as staff and trade unions are being consulted.

But hundreds of people have signed an online petition against the idea.

“The local sorting office is an essential service for the area”, said Marilyn Tsiorvas.

“It is easily accessible for both drivers and non drivers and in the centre of the community.”

The same delivery office was threatened with closure ten years ago because of problems with mail vans having to park in a bus lane, but alternative parking was eventually found.

Ecclesall Coun Shaffaq Mohammed said: “The office is a vital part of the community.

“It serves a large area and anybody who uses it will now have to go into town which is not convenient and there isn’t free parking.”

Royal Mail said the proposal was part of the ‘ongoing transformation’ of its business, as well as providing delivery offices that were ‘fit for purpose.’

There will be no compulsory redundancies if it goes ahead.

A spokesman added: “No final decision has been made and we are committed to continuing to provide a first class service to all customers. As a commercial business, we are operating in a market where letters are in structural decline and where there is competition in letters and parcels. We expect any move will have a minimal impact on customers.

“Whenever a delivery office move goes ahead, we always consider alternative parcel pick up facilities and offer customers alternative means of receiving undelivered items, including delivery to a neighbour, re-delivery to the addressee, to another address specified by the customer, six days a week.”

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‘Save Sheffield delivery office post haste’

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More than 1,200 people have signed petitions opposing the closure of the South West Sheffield postal delivery office on Ecclesall Road.

Royal Mail is discussing proposals to move the services offered at the site near Banner Cross to the delivery office on Pond Street in the city centre.

The organisation has blamed the move on increased competition from other carriers, and a general decline in the posting of letters.

Resident Steph Gale, who set up the petition, said: “If the Royal Mail do decide to close the sorting office, all staff, letters and parcels will be transferred to the office in Pond Street. This will affect a lot of people in a negative way.”

The cause has been taken up by Ecclesall Liberal Democrat Councillors Shaffaq Mohammed and Roger Davison, and Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg. They have organised another petition, while a third has been launched by local Labour Party members.

A motion has also been tabled at Wednesday’s full council meeting by Lib Dem councillors.

Plans to close the office because of health and safety fears caused by postmen having to park their vans in a bus lane were mooted, but later dropped, a decade ago.

Ronit Wolfson, a spokeswoman for Royal Mail, said it was ‘exploring options’ for relocating the office to Pond Street but that ‘no final decision’ had been made.

“As a commercial business, we are operating in a market where letters are in structural decline and where there is competition. We expect that any move will have a minimal impact on our customers.

“This is part of Royal Mail’s ongoing transformation of its business and work to increase the efficiency of its operation as well as providing delivery offices which are fit for purpose for staff and customers.”

Ms Wolfson added: “Whenever a delivery office move goes ahead, we always consider alternative parcel pick-up facilities and offer our customers alternative means of receiving undelivered mail, including delivery to a designated neighbour, re-delivery to the addressee, to another local address specified by the customer, six days a week.

“We operate an open and honest policy with our people and we are currently in discussions about this proposal with them and our trade unions.”

There will be no compulsory redundancies and ‘detailed planning to ensure a smooth transition’ will take place if the move goes ahead, she said.