Post Office sorting depot closure fears

Royal Mail are currently undertaking a feasibility study regarding moving its smaller delivery office at Rise Lane, Todmorden, into its delivery office in Rochdale.

The Labour Party Group on Todmorden Town Council has hit out at the proposals and says it will campaign for the delivery office to stay in the town.

There are concerns the move could lead to job losses and cause inconvenience for older, immobile, people.

But despite the proposed merger, Royal Mail say there will be no compulsory redundancies.

Mayor of Todmorden, Steph Booth, said “I am extremely concerned about the potential local job losses should the Todmorden Delivery Office close.

“It is an important local employer in addition to providing an important public service to the town, and the Labour control town council will be campaigning for its retention.

“However, should the office need to close then I will be seeking assurances from Royal Mail that there will be no compulsory redundancies and that all Todmorden delivery office employees are able to transfer elsewhere within Royal Mail.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said the move was being considered as a way to improve efficiency in a market where letters are in decline and there is significant competition in mail and parcels.

He said: “Whenever a delivery office move goes ahead, we would always offer our customers alternative means of receiving undelivered items of mail, including delivery to neighbour, to designated neighbour, re-delivery to the addressee, to another local address specified by the customer, or to arrange collection from a nearby Post Office branch.

“We also operate an open and honest policy with our staff and any modernisation or efficiency proposals being considered would always involve full discussions with all staff affected by any proposed change.”

Councillor Michael Hatfield, chair of the town council development committee, added: “While centralising the handling of mail may make commercial and logistical sense for Royal Mail, we must ensure that a facility remains within Todmorden for residents to collect undelivered letters and parcels on a daily basis.

“Royal Mail is increasingly handling over-sized items bought on the internet which cannot be delivered should the recipient be out at work.

“Having to travel to Rochdale in order to collect undelivered items will be extremely inconvenient for most Todmorden residents, particularly older pensioners and those without access to a private car.”

The Labour Group has requested that Todmorden residents write or email the town council in support of the delivery office remaining open.

These can then be forwarded to to Royal Mail in future correspondence.