Jobs fear for postal workers if bikes go

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news ... ?id=443700" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RESIDENTS could lose their familiar neighbourhood postal worker under a plan to replace bikes with trolleys.

Royal Mail is to phase out nearly all of the 25,000 bikes used by postmen and women across the country.

And now it has emerged they will be replaced by trolleys made in China with Cambridge, Britain's cycling capital, among the first to trial a new system of delivering letters and parcels.

Up to three postmen and women will deliver mail across a wide area using the four-wheeled pull along trolleys before putting them in a van and driving to another location.

It means workers will no longer need to return to base to collect more items.

It could also herald the end of neighbourhoods having their own dedicated postal worker.

Unions fear the move is a precursor to Royal Mail closing local delivery centres and cutting the hours of staff.

A spokesman for the Communication Workers Union said that they broadly backed the move but were worried it would lead to cuts.

She said: "Job losses and office closures will be a very real threat. Once deliveries are centralised, there will be no need for so many local offices."

The News revealed in March that Royal Mail planned to ditch postal workers' bikes.

The move was criticised by Cambridge's Green party councillor Margaret Wright.

Speaking at the time, she said: "These proposals are almost unbelievable. The Royal Mail should be taking Cambridge as an example to be followed in other congested cities. Reduction in carbon emissions depends on a united effort from all sectors of society and all enterprises.

"Royal Mail is failing to take its responsibility seriously in this respect."

Royal Mail has also been criticised for dumping the £450 bikes made by Stratford-upon-Avon-based firm Pashley Cycles in favour of Chinese-made trolleys. The company has supplied postal workers' bikes since 1971 and they are still used on a quarter of routes.

A spokesman for Pashley said: "We expect our arrangement with Royal Mail to end imminently."

A Royal Mail spokesman said the changes were needed to "deliver the mail as efficiently as possible".

He added: "We will continue to use a range of vans, trolleys and bikes where appropriate. There are no plans to phase out bikes completely."

Other cities in the experiment scheme include Durham, Lincoln and Plymouth.

[dvbuk55]

About 6 years ago our office had around 100 workers, 52 cycles and 18 vans, today it is 150, 12 and 35 - but we only have 9 HCTs.

[woofwoof]

why havent the green party jumped on this regarding the ozone and co2

[Big Daz]

The Green Party have been featured in the Cambridge evening news on this topic before and on local news bulletins.

This is old news for Cambridge postal workers.

The front page of the courier describes there 11,500 new/extra vans as enviromentally friendly, this claim needs to be investigated.

[pickaname]

The Green Party have been featured in the Cambridge evening news on this topic before and on local news bulletins.

This is old news for Cambridge postal workers.

The front page of the courier describes there 11,500 new/extra vans as enviromentally friendly, this claim needs to be investigated.

Yea - theyre run on the huge amount of hot air that come from Royal Mails spokespersons.

[lanesears]

when its working rm as allways have to mess up :