5th November 2006

Click 'Read more' for Bryan Meloy's letter and sign petition under 'Support' at: http://www.savegloucestermailcentre.co.uk

I am very concerned regarding the intended closure of Gloucester Postal sorting office. This is yet another attack on local service provision which will result in the loss of many jobs. Some of these jobs will be relocated to Swindon and these workers will have to drive the 34 miles(i) each way on a daily basis to do the same job for which they previously travelled only a few miles.

Most of the letters I personally send are to local addresses in Gloucester: these currently travel 3-4 miles in total as opposed to around 70 miles to Swindon and back. We live in a world where it is becoming more evident by the day that we need to reduce emissions. Indeed the post office website has details of its excellent attitudes^(ii) to 'Corporate Responsibility' identifying (iii) 17.5% of its CO2 equivalents emissions coming from people commuting to work; and its business travel by road as contributing 41% of its co2 emissions. The Post Office expresses a commitment to cutting these emissions and yet wants to move workers from Gloucester to Swindon and carry local letters to Swindon and back (10 to 20 times further). The post office is penny-pinching for purely short term financial gains and in spite of policies to the contrary. This is not only a disgrace this is totally irresponsible and irrational.

It occurs that the decision was made prior to publication of the Stern Report on the economic costs of global warming. Perhaps the post office with respect to this report and its own Corporate Responsibility will reconsider its decision. Its management could even pretend to have made the decision out of caring for its staff and customers and not just economics.

Perhaps all readers of the Citizen could write this week to the Royal Mail management asking them to keep the Gloucester sorting office open. Perhaps they could sign the on-line petition at www.savegloucestermailcentre.co.uk

Bryan Meloy
Gloucester Green Party

Notes:

(i) distance from AA route planner at
http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp

(ii)http://www.royalmailgroup.com/portal/rmg/jump1?catId=23200529&mediaId=23200539

(iii) information tabulated on page34 Royal Mail Group plc, Corporate
Social Responsibility Report, 2006
Gas oil – 0.5%
Natural gas – 14%
Grid electricity – 17.3%
Business road – 41%
Business rail – 0.3%
Business air – 7.2%
Personal road – 1.5%
Personal rail – 0.04%
Personal air – 0.2%
Authorised cars on delivery – 0.5%
Commuting to work – 17.4%