Royal Mail delivers new service

ROCHDALIANS will soon be able to give letters and small parcels to their postman - as the Royal mail trials a new service in the town.

The pilot, which will run over the next two months, will give householders the option of handing their post over to their postman rather than taking it to a postbox or post office.

It is available for those with OL11, OL12, OL15 and OL16 postcodes and is the first time the service has been run in urban areas in the UK.

A special leaflet will be sent to every house in Rochdale detailing the scheme.

Delivery director Ady Fielding, said: “We are delighted to be trialling this new doorstep collection service in Rochdale.

“We hope that it will be well received by customers.

“This pilot also shows that Royal Mail is listening to its customers and is keen to offer new services which we believe customers are looking for.”

The trial is also being run in Bexleyheath and Purley in London and Urmston in Trafford.

The Communication Workers Union has been working with Royal Mail to develop the service.

After the trial bosses will evaluate it to assess whether there is demand for the service to be expanded.

Customers in rural areas have always been able to give stamped letters to their postman or woman, given their distance from a post office branch.