Town's mail deliveries to be merged (From Gazette & Herald)

Town's mail deliveries to be merged

ROYAL Mail will combine first and second postal deliveries in Malton from Monday.

The change is part of a national scheme to introduce single daily deliveries across the country

People living in towns will receive all their post aboutnoon, while rural residents can expect their mail by 1.30pm.

Deliveries will start at 8am and for many people there will be no change to their present delivery times.

A new free service has been set up so people can collect their mail early on request from the delivery Office from 8.30 am. Application forms are available at Malton Delivery Office, 36-38 Wheelgate, Malton, YO17 7HS or from Royal Mail customer services on 0845 602 4536.

Delivery arrangements for business customers will remain unchanged.

Royal Mail area general manager for mid-Yorkshire, Andy Lamb, said: "Second deliveries account for 20 per cent of Royal Mail's costs but represent just four per cent of the daily mailbag. So it makes sense to combine first and second deliveries. The changes will help safeguard Royal Mail's six day a week universal service to all 27 million addresses in the UK."

Royal Mail is not planning any compulsory redundancies as a result of single delivery and the changes at Malton will not result in a reduction of jobs.

Coun Lindsay Burr said: "To me it seems we are moving backwards and not forwards. Everybody likes to get their mail at the beginning of the day, so they can deal with it before they go out to work."

Updated: 11:38 Thursday, October 09, 2003