Time concerns over delivery to neighbour initiative
14th June 2012
CWU has raised concerns over the amount of time delivery workers will have under new arrangements which would allow Royal Mail to leave packets and parcels with neighbours if a customer is out. CWU is urging Royal Mail to plan for extra time in delivery routes if postal regulator Ofcom allows the company to roll out Delivery to Neighbour nationwide.
Trials of the system in seven different locations have been successful, with over 90 per cent customer satisfaction levels recorded and the company is now intent on rolling this out across the UK.
CWU assistant secretary Bob Gibson said: "Royal Mail is currently the only operator in the industry that is not allowed to do this, so it's only fair that there is a level playing field.
"We support the company's application for a regulatory change, but we will need to ensure that the extra time that this involves is taken into account when delivery work is being planned," he explained.
"It obviously takes longer for a postwoman or postman to go and knock at a neighbour's door, have a conversation with them, ask for a signature and then return to the original house with the completed card than it does to post a 'sorry you were out' notice. That's why we're seeking clarification about how delivery routes will be organised when this is brought in."
CWU took part in the trials of the system which started last year and has had no negative feedback from postal workers on the initiative. "It's good news that the trial has been successful and we do join Royal Mail in calling for reform", Bob added.
Approximately 748,000 homes in Edinburgh, Gatwick North, Hull, Norwich, Swansea East, Wigan and Bolton took part in the trial which started in November 2011 and the customer satisfaction survey was carried out by Consumer Focus.
