EU TO BLAME FOR DEPLORABLE POSTAL DELIVERIES
March 30, 2009 5:52 PM
Despite the recent restructuring of Barnstaple's postal services and the replacement of postie's bike with a trolley, it seems the EU is to blame for North Devon's worsening postal deliveries. Nick Harvey, MP for North Devon, notes, 'I have been receiving a steady stream of complaints about slipping postal delivery times in and around Barnstaple.
'The Royal Mail's customer services have been telling local people that new EU regulations restrict driver flexibility, which means mail is taking longer to reach the mail centres.
'Telling customers that the EU is preventing earlier deliveries seems far from defensible especially after previous undertakings.
'This explanation is at odds with what we are being told locally and I shall be seeking clarification with the Royal Mail's Chief Executive. Rural areas should not be penalised in favour of major urban centres.'
FURTHER INFORMATION
Since 1 January 2008 a lower speed limit of 56mph (down from 70mph) for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes has been in force under EU legislation. However, the Royal Mail gave a commitment not to change its delivery times; having spent £15m on its transport network and an additional £5m on extra delivery vans and extra flights to keep disruption to a minimum.
The Royal Mail aims to deliver mail in urban areas by 2pm and rural areas by 3pm. As an alternative it offers a 'timed delivery' service at £250 a month or 'mail collect' services, neither of which are viable alternatives for most.
Unhelpfully Postcomm, the Postal Industry Regulator, has set no time of day by which mail has to be delivered.
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