Royal Mail considering Highbury collection point as hundreds oppose sorting office move

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A petition against the closure of Highbury sorting office has received more than 600 signatures – as Royal Mail considers keeping a collection point in the area.

Discussions are underway between the postal service and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) about the move to North Road, Holloway.

It would mean staff have to travel almost two miles to the N5 area to deliver their post, with some saying they would have to take their sacks on the bus.

But anyone wanting to collect a missed parcel may not be forced to travel the same distance in the opposite direction as first feared because Royal Mail has revealed it is “looking at options” to keep a collection point in Highbury.

Former Lib Dem councillor for Highbury Terry Stacey set up the petition, which has received 419 signatures online and 200 in hard copy.

And the campaigner welcomed the news about the collection point possibly being kept in the area.

“That’s a victory for us because that was one of the biggest worries,” he told the Gazette. “The new centre is miles away from Highbury. I’d like the office to remain where it is but the minimum has to be a local collection point.”

Terry and his team of campaigners have delivered 5,000 leaflets in the area opposing the move, which the Royal Mail expects to be delivered early next year.

He had previously called it “a real blow to residents”.

“I don’t think this is about improving services,” he said when the plans were announced in October. “It’s more about making money out of the site. The site is worth millions of pounds.”