Jackie Baillie MSP launches fight to save Dumbarton DO

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Jackie Baillie MSP launches fight to save Dumbarton Royal Mail delivery office

Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie has called on Royal Mail to reject proposals to close the delivery office in Dumbarton due to concerns over the impact on staff and customers.

Royal Mail announced plans in September to close the facility next year and switch its operations to the delivery office at Lomond Industrial Estate in Alexandria.

Postal bosses scrapped similar plans to merge the Dumbarton and Alexandria offices in 2013 after a revolt from staff and unions.

However in response, the Royal Mail said the Dumbarton office is ‘not fit for purpose’.

Ms Baillie said she will call on Royal Mail to reconsider its plans again when she meets with representatives at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, November 11.

The Labour politician said: “Royal Mail may insist that there are other ways of collecting undelivered mail but the fact is that there will always be a need for a local delivery office. Transferring operations from Dumbarton and Alexandria will make it difficult for many people to access this vital service, especially with poor public transport links to Lomond Industrial Estate. Dumbarton delivery office is right in the middle of the town centre, making it easy for customers to collect undelivered items and for staff to get to work.

“This closure would also have a knock-on effect on the rest of the town centre and send out the wrong signals about the regeneration of the High Street. With efforts under way to increase footfall in the town centre, we need to do everything we can to persuade businesses not to relocate into difficult to reach industrial estates.”

Ronit Wolfson, Royal Mail spokeswoman, said: “Royal Mail is still exploring the possibility of relocating Dumbarton Delivery Office into Alexandria Delivery Office.

“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. The Dumbarton office is not fit for purpose as we now deal with many more parcels.

“A final decision has not yet been taken and will not be taken until early 2016 - we have been speaking to our people and our unions about this potential move and have been seeking their feedback.

“Whenever a delivery office move goes ahead, we would always offer our customers alternative means of receiving undelivered items of mail, including delivery to a designated neighbour, free re-delivery to the addressee or to another local address in the same postcode specified by the customer, six days a week.

“There would be no compulsory redundancies as a result of this proposed merger and all staff would transfer to the other office. We also reimburse our staff for any extra mileage incurred by changes to their place of work.

“Royal Mail is has a long-standing meeting with Ms Baillie on Wednesday, November 11 to brief her on the proposed relocation where we can discuss any concerns she has.”