Royal Mail suspends deliveries to remote Scottish community amid 'health and safety' claims

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.scotsman.com/business/royal- ... -1-4597188" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Householders in a remote Highlands postcode are no longer able to receive mail after the Royal Mail deemed it to difficult to get to for its post workers.
Four homes in the remote community of Altnabreac, Caithness had their mail deliveries suspended last Friday, after mail bosses said staff were faced with an hour-long trip to deliver letters and packages. The postal service warned that a lack of mobile phone signal meant their delivery drivers were at risk if they needed to "call for help".


Residents of the historic area, which is home to Scotland's most remote rail station, are now travelling a 37 mile round trip to Halkirk to pick up their letters and parcels. The Royal Mail has told them they can nominate a relative or friend living on the main road to collect their post, but said none of the affected households had yet done so.

This is the second time that postal services have been withdrawn from Altnabreac, with postal deliveries restored after a similar decision in 2014 was appealed by residents.

Ofcom regulations state that delivery staff should not spend more than 15 minutes in a single trip on private roads to deliver mail. A spokeswoman for the Royal Mail said that the condition of the 10 mile track to the houses had deteriorated in recent months.

She said: "Royal Mail has suspended deliveries to four addresses at KW12 at Halkirk and we are sorry for the inconvenience this causes customers. This step has been taken after a detailed assessment, as we believe that there is a risk of safety to our postmen and women who are delivering on private tracks off the public highway.

"Our people are spending an hour round trip to deliver the mail. There is also no mobile phone signal to call for help if there is an issue and the condition of the track is poor."

She added: "This step has been taken after a detailed assessment, as we believe that there is a risk of safety to our postmen and women who are delivering on private tracks off the public highway."


Residents are believed to be planning to launch another appeal against the Royal Mail's decision. It is thought that the measure will affect around 15 people living in the postcode.

The spokeswoman added: "Royal Mail wants to work with the customers to find a safe and sensible solution to this suspension."

Any other buildings or holiday premises in the same postcode, apart from the four properties do not receive a mail delivery.

Until 2009, a Royal Mail Postbus, which carried mail and passengers, served the remote Altnabreac community.


Campaigners in Caithness and Sutherland have previously called for their postcode to be changed amid fears that they are hit with higher delivery charges because the region comes under a postcode in Kirkwall, on the island of Orkney.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail stopped to remote Highlands properties for safety reasons

http://www.scotsman.com/regions/inverne ... -1-4597445" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail has suspended deliveries to four remote properties in part Highlands over safety fears for workers.

Postal staff are said to have faced an hour round trip on private roads to the addresses in Altnabreac, Caithness. Concerns for safety are linked to the fact the area has no phone signal, meaning no call for help could be made in difficulty.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “We are sorry for the inconvenience this causes customers. Suspension of delivery is not something we do lightly, but we need to ensure that all our people are working in a safe environment.

“Ofcom’s own regulations state that postmen and women should not spend more than 15 minutes in a single trip on private roads to deliver mail. “This step has been taken after a detailed assessment as we believe that there is a risk of safety to our postmen and women, who are delivering on private tracks off the public highway.

“Our people are spending an hour round trip to deliver the mail. There is also no mobile phone signal to call for help if there is an issue and the condition of the track is poor.”

Those staying at the properties can now either have their mail delivered to somewhere with the same postcode or make a round trip of about 36 miles to Halkirk. The spokeswoman added none of those affected are housebound and have been collecting post from the delivery office in the village.

[Phantom]

Utter bollocks! This is a cut to service and using Ofcom to get away with it legally.

"Ofcom regulations state that delivery staff should not spend more than 15 minutes in a single trip on private roads to deliver mail"

[Gummage]

Took too much time and money more like.

[Lounge Lizard]

"The postal service warned that a lack of mobile phone signal meant their delivery drivers were at risk if they needed to 'call for help'".
Yet the residents manage 24 hours a day 365 days a year without a mobile phone signal as they have done since time immemorial.

[ted_e_bear]

Agree with all the comments, it's obviously costing too much to provide the "universal service", is this just the start ?

Mind you might be a bit tedious but wish an hour of my duty was driving a round trip to just 4 houses !

[masterblaster]

Agree with all the comments, it's obviously costing too much to provide the "universal service", is this just the start ?

Mind you might be a bit tedious but wish an hour of my duty was driving a round trip to just 4 houses !

As long as you don't get back to the office and find you forgot a Special!

[fishtank]

I'm actually with Royal Mail on this one, it's forestry commission roads up there and they're dangerous, unsurfaced, muddy dirt tracks in the summer. In the winter it's like ice road truckers. The funny thing is the place has what passes for a railway station but it's a request stop only. Didn't we used to throw the mail from the train back in the day? Not sure if that'll work with an iPad or an Xbox.

[NWpostie]

"The postal service warned that a lack of mobile phone signal meant their delivery drivers were at risk if they needed to 'call for help'".
Yet the residents manage 24 hours a day 365 days a year without a mobile phone signal as they have done since time immemorial.

In my days all we had was tinderboxes and we used smoke signals to get help as it can be seen for miles, none of this "loss of signals" rubbish and no need for batteries, you young uns don't know you were born !