Richard Baum

I received a letter from the Royal Mail today explaining their decision to remove the post box on Rainsough Brow. They confirmed that it was for health and safety reasons, because the road is too busy and parking isn’t possible because of yellow lines. I have to say that it remains a mystery why the decision was taken now, years after the installation of the mini roundabout and yellow lines Royal Mail claim are the reason for the removal. But that remains the reason all the same.

Fair play to the Royal Mail, they have been very good since I first raised this issue on here and on the phone to them. Today’s letter from a lady at Royal Mail HQ followed a phone message and another phone call from the Prestwich sorting office. Whilst they have no problems removing our post boxes, at least they’re keeping us informed. That’s one up on the likes of Orange Broadband. Whilst I can fault their method of communicating the closure (the amateurish note pinned to the box, which they say wasn’t the original one they put on their which must have blown away or been stolen. Hmm…), I can’t fault their efforts to make amends. They’ve been very good.

Unfortunately the prognosis for a replacement looks pretty bleak. The letter tells me that there are five post boxes and an office within half a mile, and that that is within their service obligations. This is true (I drove round and checked) and I suppose we can’t ask for another when there are so many abundant in the area. But it’s never nice to see something go, and the way in which it was handled originally with some very unprofessional communications by Royal Mail had the potential to do quite a bit of harm. I hope that harm has been minimised.

Rick