AROUND 25,000 households and businesses in part of Poole have been warned that they may start receiving their post later in the day.
Royal Mail is writing to every address served by the Alder Hills Delivery Office – parts of the BH12 and BH17 postcode areas – to say it is making phased changes to the way it delivers the post over the next few weeks.
The organisation says it is trying to maintain services and keep prices as low as possible.
It explains: “Unfortunately fewer letters are now posted every day and Royal Mail needs to organise its delivery routes to be as efficient as possible.
“Royal Mail will continue to deliver in the morning and for a longer period during the day. Many customers will continue to get their mail by lunchtime.
“The time customers receive mail will depend on where they live on the new delivery route. This may be later or possibly earlier than current delivery times. When mail volumes vary, we may need to adjust delivery arrangements and times.”
Because the service is delivering an increasing number of larger items, Royal Mail is also investing in new equipment to carry mail more securely.
Bicycles are generally being phased out across the organisation for safety reasons. Instead, postmen and women go out in pairs in vans, then use trolleys to complete their rounds, reducing their risk of injury.
Collection and delivery sector manager Rob Payne said: “We are proud of the high regard in which our postmen and women are held in Alder Hills.
“The changes to delivery routes will mean that a member of our local and experienced team will still be delivering to our customers in Alder Hills.
“The local delivery team and I are fully committed to providing a high quality of service that is as reliable and friendly as customers have come to expect from Royal Mail in Alder Hills over many years.”
Cllr Phil Eades, who represents Branksome West ward, said: “A lot of people are out all day, so I’m not sure it’s that important whether the post comes at 9am, 11am or even 1pm.
“But I do think Royal Mail ought to make an effort to streamline rounds so business customers could be assured of having their post in the morning.
“Mail volumes are decreasing, but Royal Mail has brought this upon itself with the outrageous increases in first and second class charges last year. In the long term you have to fear for the future of universal deliveries.”
