Protests as Bacup postal delivery office threatened with closure

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Royal Mail is proposing to move the Burnley Road office to Rochdale

A campaign has been started against the threatened closure of a postal delivery office.

Under the proposals, Royal Mail would move the base on Burnley Road, Bacup, eight miles away to Rochdale.

Fears have been raised over the possible effect on postal staff as well as customers collecting mail that cannot be delivered via their letter boxes.

Royal Mail says no final decision has been taken, and they are looking at an “alternative” collection facility in the event of the move going through.

Greensclough ward councillor Jimmy Eaton, who worked at the Bacup office for 30 years, said it would be ‘appalling’ if it closed.

He said: “I’m very disappointed they’re thinking of closing it. People may have to go to Rochdale to collect something they needed that day. If that office goes it will be absolutely appalling.”

Long-serving Bacup delivery office manager Matthew Meldin said staff have already moved.

He said: “None of the staff want the office to close. One or two have left because of the threat of closure and relocated to Rochdale, but not everyone can do that. I don’t want to go, I’ve been here 20 years and live two minutes away.”

Saf Khan, from the communication workers’ union (CWU), said one possible replacement service would be for a collection service at the main Post Office which is part of the same building, but that this was subject to agreement with postal company Post Office Ltd.

Petitions are available in shops in Bacup and an online petition is also being set up by the CWU.

The Royal Mail has a delivery office on Ainsworth Street in Rochdale.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: “We are speaking to our people and union regarding the possibility of moving our delivery office in Bacup into Rochdale.

“No final decision has been made. We are committed to ensuring an alternative collection facility is available locally for customers in the event of any move.

“This proposal is part of Royal Mail’s ongoing transformation of its business to address the structural decline in letter volumes and the rise in the number of parcels being ordered and delivered.”