Concerns over future of Melksham sorting office

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Royal Mail has been asked to tell the truth over the future of Melksham’s sorting office amid rumours it is about to be closed down.

The closure of the Church Street site would mean customers would have to travel to Trowbridge or Chippen-ham to collect undelivered parcels.

Town councillor Vic Oakman, who raised the issue as an urgent item at last Monday’s Melksham Town Council meeting, said: “It would be the thin end of the wedge, if it’s just a post office left it’s not much to turn round and say they’ll close it altogether.

“I’m definitely concerned. What else will be taken away from the centre of Melksham before it’s killed all together?

“As I see it, it would mean a delay in the mail coming, which is bad enough now. My post arrived at 3.35pm the other day.”

Cllr Oakman said he was concerned for businesses who may rely on parcel delivery, and for local people who may be forced to journey to Chippenham to collect their post, if they are not in when parcels are delivered.

Melksham Town Council has written to Royal Mail to deplore any such move.

Maggie Pursey, 62, who moved to Gifford’s Court retirement home off Lowbourne 10 months ago, said: “I deliberately placed myself where I felt I would be in the middle of things as I get increasingly disabled. It feels like I’ve moved in and everything else is moving away.

“I’m okay myself because I drive, but certainly the majority here don’t. The people who do have cars won’t come into Melksham to do their shopping. Everything except the supermarkets is disappearing.”

Up to 40 people work at the Post Office and delivery office site.

Chris Rye, area representative for the South West Seven Branch of the Communication Workers Union, said: “I believe it wouldn’t be good for the members that are down there. Obviously a lot of them live in Melksham. If it’s true I don’t feel it (the sorting office operation) would fit into Chippenham.

“From what I’ve been told they are scoping it at the moment. I haven’t been given proposals. If I am I would look at how it affected members, and how it affected services and put forward an argument one way or another.”

A Royal Mail spokesman would not deny the rumour. He said: “Faced with full competition and declining mail volumes, Royal Mail operates in an environment of continuous improvement as we constantly review the efficiency of all our units.

“We have not confirmed any plans to change our operations in Melksham. Any future decision to change our operations in the area will be communicated when appropriate.”

Melksham Mayor Rod Eaton said the council has written to Royal Mail asking for clarification.

“We want to find out what’s going on and oppose any closure,” he said. “People who normally can go at the moment to collect undelivered packages, which we all have, are going to have to travel possibly to Chippenham or Trowbridge. Not only will it be expensive, but very inconvenient for people who don’t have much time.

“For people who don’t have their own transport it will be not only difficult but virtually impossible, so they’ll be forced to pay extra to have things delivered again.

“It’s unthinkable to have to travel eight or nine miles to collect a package.”

The closure of Corsham’s sorting office in September 2008 has had an impact on post services in the town, says town Cllr Peter Davies. “There was a lot of controversy about it when it closed,” he said.

“When you get bad weather that we’ve had everything gets held up because it’s not local. You’ve got to wait for mail to travel to Swindon and all the way back.

“From what people are saying, the mail is a lot slower. There’s likely to be more travelling involved. The service is less adequate than it used to be. It’s not achieving anything, the Post Office is still losing money and the cost of sending a letter or parcel is becoming almost prohibitive.”

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Maggie Pursey, 62, who moved to Gifford’s Court retirement home off Lowbourne 10 months ago, said: “I deliberately placed myself where I felt I would be in the middle of things as I get increasingly disabled. It feels like I’ve moved in and everything else is moving away.