Isle of Wight could be hit by postal review

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ROYAL Mail services on the Isle of Wight could be seriously affected if the company closes its Portsmouth mail centre, it has been warned.

The firm has announced it will carry out a review of the branch from January, throwing its future into doubt and putting 380 jobs at risk.

Royal Mail said it was reviewing services following a drop in the number of letters being sent to Portsmouth but concerns have been raised that no other mail centre in the country has survived a review.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has warned Isle of Wight residents would suffer the most if it was closed.

"The last post is 3pm for towns and 4pm for rural areas, and I can’t see how that would be maintained," said area delivery rep Paul Mountain.

"But the biggest impact would be getting mail to the Isle of Wight because the existing office is just five minutes from the Wightlink terminal. I can’t see how it wouldn’t impact on Island deliveries.

"Isle of Wight residents will be the most affected in the PO area, so if there is a campaign to keep it open they have a big role to play."

Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth confirmed the company was embarking on a six-month consultation with its Portsmouth workforce but said it was too early to consider the impact on the Isle of Wight.

"However, Royal Mail aims to maintain the existing quality of service we provide to our customers in any decision that is made," he said.

It is unclear where the Island’s post would be sorted if the Portsmouth centre was closed. The nearest office is in Southampton, although there are plans to create a single super mail hub somewhere in Hampshire.