[This article is being updated as politicians react. See bottom of the page for latest developments.]
Local postal services are about to further deteriorate, writes Leith Central Community Councillor John Hein.
Posters have appeared on the postboxes outside the former Brunswick Road sorting office advertising the fact that, because Royal Mail has sold the site, all posting facilities there will be removed from the end of November.
That's understandable, but it is the total lack of arrangements that have been made to replace them and the later posting facilities that they provide that concerns local people and the business community.
For customers who are not able to travel out to Cuiltins Road, it seems that the latest posting time from Central Edinburgh will now be 7:15pm in Frederick Street (currently 7:30pm at Brunswick Road). And business users who frank their mail with a meter are directed to Constitution Street with last uplift at 6:30pm instead of the existing 7:00pm at Brunswick Road.
Would it really be too much trouble to provide a new box for franked mail alongside the existing pillar box in Elm Row and relieve these boxes at the current Brunswick Road times? At the very least, Royal Mail should change to those currently existing at Brunswick Road the collection times at one site in Central Edinburgh provided with both types of boxes.
When the Cuiltins Road Mechanised Letter Office opened some years ago, Royal Mail declared that uplift times at Brunswick Road would not be changed, but they soon renegued on that promise and all uplifts were re-timed to half an hour before those at Cuiltins Road.
Even with this half-hour differential, it was possible to post items for all but the most distant places in Scotland up until 10:00pm, with Glasgow letters being accepted until midnight whilst Edinburgh mail could be posted until 4:00am! Such late posting is no longer officially permitted even at Cuiltins Road (although it is often possible to persuade a friendly postal worker on a ciggie break). I'm told that this is so that Royal Mail doesn't provide a better service than any of its competitors and so cannot be accused of unfair competition!
As a Community Councillor, I attempted to raise these matters by telephoning the number advertised on the Royal Mail posters, but soon tired of the somewhat repetitive programme of musical entertainment provided in lieu of customer service.
Spurtle began contacting local politicians at 5:21pm on Tuesday evening. Follow their reactions below.
Tues. 26 Oct., 6:13pm: Thank you. John Hein has raised a very good point. I have written to Royal Mail to consider and hopefully agree to his very sensible request. If the matter is not resolved locally I will raise the matter with the Minister responsible for post offices, Vince Cable. Mark Lazarowicz, MP
Wed. 27 Oct., 9:35am: I can see that this is inconvenient for local businesses. I have written to the Royal Mail asking them to address John Hein's concerns. Cllr Angela Blacklock
Wed. 27 Oct., 11:08am: I have written to Royal Mail to strongly support [John Hein's] reasonable request. Malcolm Chisholm, MSP
Wed. 27 Oct., 3:43pm: Well done to John Hein and the Spurtle for raising this matter. I am 110% behind the campaign, which seems simple common sense. I too will happily write to the Royal Mail and ask them to take forward this very reasonable demand. Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP
Thurs. 28 Oct., 1:58pm: I have written to the Customer Service Manager at Royal Mail to ask them to look at ways of maintaining the late postal service in the area, and will let you know when I receive a response. Cllr Louise Lang