Dundee West End councillor Fraser Macpherson has called on Royal Mail to rethink their refusal to allow some constituents to collect undelivered mail and parcels from their nearest post office.
People who live in the DD2 postcode area, some of whom reside just a stone’s throw from the Perth Road post office, have to collect mail from the depot in Baird Avenue two miles away.
The issue results from the closure of the Crichton Street collection office in the city centre, which Royal Mail said was no longer fit for purpose because of the rise in the parcel delivery business.
Mail and parcels that are undelivered are now redirected to the Edward Street sorting office for DD1 customers and Baird Avenue for DD2 and DD3 customers.
Mr Macpherson and West End Community Council had asked if DD2 customers’ mail could be sorted at Edward Street rather than Baird Avenue, as Edward Street is a much better location, but Royal Mail said this would not be possible.
Royal Mail did offer to look into the viability of allowing DD2 residents in the West End to have their undelivered mail picked up at the Perth Road Post Office.
It is in the DD1 area by a matter of yards, and only mail and packages that are for DD1 households can be collected there.
Mr Macpherson said: ”The Perth Road Post Office is well-used, accessible and also very close to the start of DD2 households to the immediate west and north.
”It strikes me that, although we would have much rather seen the retention of the Crichton Street office, at least allowing all West End residents the opportunity to pick up parcels and undelivered mail at the Perth Road post office would be of some help.”
Royal Mail have now dismissed this option. As the Perth Road post office is in DD1, they say it can’t be involved in redelivery arrangements for outside that postcode area.
Mr Macpherson said: ”I think Royal Mail’s position is ridiculous and shows a real lack of good customer relations. There are properties that are in DD2 but are literally a stone’s throw from the Perth Road Post Office but they can’t collect their undelivered mail from their local post office, according to Royal Mail.
“I have asked the director of communications for Scotland at Royal Mail for a rethink on the matter.”