Royal Mail parking in the spotlight

A COUNCILLOR will quiz Cheshire’s Police And Crime Commissioner (PCC) next month over parking issues at a Runcorn delivery office.

Last May, the Weekly News reported that drivers were being warned they could face £30 fines for parking on double yellow lines at Crown Gate.

Royal Mail later confirmed that it would review parking arrangements at the facility but it was claimed in November that the issue had still not been resolved.

Cllr Dave Thompson of the Halton Lea ward has now confirmed to the Weekly News that he has tabled a query with PCC David Keane for the next Cheshire Police And Crime Panel.

Cllr Thompson will ask Mr Keane if the force can take a ‘consistent approach’ to the handling of the use fixed penalty notices for parking offences.

The question to be put to Mr Keane said: “The evidence in Runcorn suggests that there is not consistency and the force not targeting enforcement activity to known accident blackspots and at high risk areas like outside schools, yet at the same time targeting places where there should be greater discretion shown.”

Cllr Thompson is a member of the Cheshire Police And Crime Panel and the next meeting will take place on Friday, February 3.

The Runcorn councillor said that there is ‘no parking’ at Crown Gate, limited pavements, no drop kerbs, no disabled parking and visitors collecting parcels have ‘almost no option’ but to briefly park here.

He added that after writing to the sorting office the facility confirmed they were still investigating the issue.

In November, a Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “Royal Mail continually looks to improve its customer experience and we continue to investigate potential improvement opportunities to parking facilities at Runcorn.

“Our priority is to deliver all mail items first time and we offer a number of services to enable this, such as delivery to neighbour, delivery to designated neighbour and delivery on specific days nominated by the customer.”