Mail closures will pose real difficulties (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Mail closures will pose real difficulties

8:54am Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Our View By Telegraph & Argus

The Royal Mail’s decision to shut three delivery offices in the Bradford district without any form of public consultation shows poor judgement on its part.

One parish councillor has described the company’s failure to listen to local views as ‘arrogant’ and that is an understandable view in the circumstances.

Legally, Royal Mail was within its rights not to have any form of public discussion on the matter. As it says in its letter to parish councillor Debbie Davies, it is ‘not obliged to consult publicly on its proposals’.

The question of a moral obligation is a very different one. Tens of thousands of people in the Aire Valley and West Bradford will have their postal services affected by this decision, and many will be unhappy about it.

In practical terms, customers who are not in when a parcel is delivered will now have to travel to the Bradford North delivery office in Inkersley Road in the city. This will be an inconvenience to all who have to do it, and for many, it will pose real difficulties.

Will the Royal Mail be liaising with the bus companies to try and arrange regular public transport services to the city depot from Shipley, Bingley and Thornton, and the outlying areas these depots set to close currently serve?

If not, how are those without their own transport, particularly the elderly, going to be able to travel to pick up their parcels? They could arrange for it be sent to their local post office, but they will have to pay for that privilege.

It may be that, from a purely business point of view, this is the right decision for the Royal Mail and will help with its ongoing modernisation programme. But is it right that a service like the Royal Mail should be making such decisions on purely business criteria?