Cyclists deliver hundreds of protest letters to Royal Mail

Members of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group joined forces with the CTC this morning to deliver hundreds of protest letters to Royal Mail’s chief executive Moya Greene.

The letters, from CTC members and supporters, ask Ms Greene to reconsider phasing out cycle delivery and call on the nation’s postal service to promise to ‘Keep Posties Cycling’.

Royal Mail’s former chief executive Adam Crozier was forced to admit to plans to make postal workers use trolleys and vans instead of bikes after Lord Berkeley demanded answers in January. Since then, CTC has been trying to discuss the issue with Royal Mail without success. It was only when the number of protest letters reached nearly 700 that Royal Mail agreed to meet CTC’s chief executive Kevin Mayne next week (13 September).

Kevin Mayne said, “Postal workers, cyclists and members of the public have all expressed their concern to us over the illogical and rash way Royal Mail has made this decision. I hope by the time I meet with the delivery director next week, he will have taken the time to read these letters and will fully address all the issues raised.”

Lord Berkeley said, “Adam Crozier made a decision and now I want to know if Moya Greene is looking at all the facts before implementing this ridiculous policy, which will damage the health of thousands of postal workers and increase both carbon emissions and congestion.”

Postman Max Lambert said, “I’ve been delivering mail by post for over 20 years. I love cycling – it is the quickest way of delivering post, as you don’t have to push or carry the mail. If they stop us using our red bikes there will be a Royal Mail van in every traffic jam on every street. It won’t improve the delivery of our mail, just slow us and everyone else down.”

There are other stories from cycling posties who want to stay on their bikes on the CTC site.

The Communications Workers’ Union told CTC that due to an agreement they signed during difficult negotiations with Royal Mail in March, it will not be challenging the decision to stop postal delivery by bike.

Royal Mail staff currently use a fleet of 24,000 bikes, but the new measures could see that number drop to a few hundred.