Royal Mail unveils new office plans for Bradford

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Royal Mail has submitted plans to develop a site next to its Bradford North delivery office at Inkersley Road in the city centre as part of its plans to shut three delivery offices in the district.

Earlier this year the firm announced it intended to shut offices in Shipley, Bingley and Bradford West at Thornton, despite concerns about difficulties collecting undelivered parcels.

It is part of Royal Mail’s modernisation programme, described as “one of the biggest transformations in UK industry”. Now a planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council which would turn the company’s road transport workshop at Valley Road into a delivery office, and allow all operations from Bingley, Shipley and Bradford West, to be moved there.

The application said that the site would operate from 6am to 8.30pm on weekdays, and 6am to 5pm on Saturdays. It would see 144 full-time jobs on the site, along with 36 part-time positions.

Royal Mail spokesman, Heulyn Gwyn Davies said: “We can confirm that we will be transferring our mail operation from Bingley, Shipley and Bradford West Delivery Offices to a vacant site which we currently have adjacent to our Bradford North Delivery Office. This will take place over a number of months – Bingley (November, 2012), Bradford West (January, 2013) and Shipley (February, 2013).”

Members of the Council backed a call earlier this year for the three closure-threatened offices to remain open while consultation took place. It came as Bradford and District Older People’s Alliance raised a petition against the closures.

The move will affect the lives of older people and other vulnerable groups across the district, they believe.

Royal Mail said it would consider customers’ needs and contact Bradford Council once they had reviewed the options.

Mr Davies, of Royal Mail, said he appreciated the concerns. The planning application is expected to be determined in August.