Twickenham MP and Hampton councillor meet with Royal Mail to protest relocation of delivery office

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The Twickenham MP and a Hampton councillor met with Royal Mail this week to protest the relocation of a local delivery office.

They spoke on behalf of residents who strongly oppose the plans to move the Hampton delivery office- a petition protesting the relocation is approaching 2,500 signatures.

Earlier this month, Royal Mail announced it was “exploring the option” of moving the office in Rose Hill to Ashford’s office in Feltham Road- more than a 20 minute drive away or up to 50 minutes on public transport.


After the meeting, both felt Royal Mail “failed to answer” key questions, specifically with regard to customers having to travel to Ashford to pick up missed mail.

Royal Mail said the plans are down to the office in Hampton being a “small building built in 1960 which now no longer meets our requirement” as well as a move to “increase efficiency”.

A spokeswoman said: “If the move goes ahead, it will enable us to offer better facilities for our people and our customers.

“As a business we are responding to the huge growth in electronic communications and decline in letter volumes, while seeing a high volume of parcels and online shopping which need to be delivered to customers.”

Royal Mail are also planning to have dedicated parking for customers in the Ashford office.

The main concern for people is that they will have to travel to Ashford to pick up mail they miss.

In response Royal Mail said: “Customers do not need to visit our offices to pick up mail if they would prefer not to or are unable to do so.

“We can deliver many items to a neighbour if they’re not in, and they can nominate which neighbour by completing a form at the delivery office.

“Customers can also arrange a redirection on a convenient day, including Saturdays or we can deliver the item to a different address within the same postcode area.”

Sir Vince Cable MP said this “might be fine in theory” but “is often difficult in practice”.


He said: “For residents who want a parcel urgently or cannot make alternative arrangements, and do not have access to a car there is a tortuous bus journey.

“For those who live in Hampton Hill the journey is even more complicated.

“The Royal Mail justify the move in terms of both efficiency and giving staff more room to work.

“But the local staff in the Communications Workers Union dismiss these claims and are adamantly opposed to the switch.”

He said the proposals have “antagonised customers and workers” and “need rethinking”.

Hampton Councillor Gareth Roberts said it was “useful to hear the rational” behind the plans but they “don’t repay close inspection”.

He said: “At present residents who miss a collection can simply go down to their local office but under the Royal Mail's plan they will either have to book an alternative delivery with no time guarantee or schlep all the way over to Ashford.