Royal Mail's Crichton Street Collection Office closure

As reported in today’s Courier, I have condemned Royal Mail’s decision to close the Crichton Street Collection Office as this will be very detrimental to many Dundee customers who use the City Centre facility.

The decision to go ahead with the closure at the end of August contradicts assurances given to me and other councillors when we met with Royal Mail on 19^th May.  At that meeting, the company said it would engage with City Councillors on the matter.   

Yesterday, I talked to Ian McKay, Royal Mail’s Director of Scottish Affairs, to express my concerns at the closure decision.  It appears that the promised “engagement” with the City Council consisted of only Mr McKay on 28^th June replying to a letter from City Council Chief Executive David Dorward.   Mr Dorward had written outlining concerns about any closure and its effect on the public.

Royal Mail has failed at the first hurdle in terms of proper public consultation – no doubt because Royal Mail knew that proper consultation would have shown how vital the facility in Crichton Street is and that the public back it staying open.  

My major area of concern is that although the Edward Street depot is handy for some West End residents in the Blackness/Milnbank area, for many West End residents it is not a convenient location.  It is not an easy walk for an elderly person travelling by bus.   From both the 17 and 22 services' routes, the walk is hilly in places. 

People in the large DD2 area in the West End and elsewhere in Dundee West and in the DD3 area elsewhere in the west of the city will have to use the Baird Avenue facility.   Baird Avenue is utterly hopeless if you rely on public transport.

Royal Mail has previously claimed the Crichton Street office struggles to cope with the increased parcel business, given its limited space and claims it also fails to meet Disability Discrimination Act requirements.    But, I am convinced that the Crichton Street office could be relatively easily altered to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.  The front access is already relatively level and all it would take to comply with disability requirements is a new reception desk, repainting and provision of an induction loop.

The crucial point is that this office is extremely well situated in terms of public transport and, by comparison, the alternatives are poorly served by public transport.  

Its loss is a real blow to many Royal Mail customers and many of my constituents will be significantly inconvenienced by it.  

Unfortunately, Royal Mail has been unwilling to listen to the arguments in favour of keeping Crichton Street open.     That is very disappointing indeed.