Proposed changes to PO are unacceptable

I FIND the proposed changes to the postal service in Hartland, near Bideford, wholly unacceptable on a personal and business point a view.

Currently our nearest Post Office with regards to our postal service is four miles away. Completely acceptable when there is an issue with the daily postal or ‘signed for’ delivery or underpaid postage charge (usually for some item that is completely irrelevant). It has extended opening hours and is open on a Sunday.

However, the proposed changes:

1. May lead to a later daily delivery, our post currently arrives any time between 1 and 4pm, most often after 2pm, a later delivery could mean an evening delivery – extending the posties’ day.

It is essential in rural parts that the posties cover the rural rounds regularly, in terms of being able to find their way around.

I recall when a postie from Bideford covering our round became completely lost and we did not have a delivery that day.

2. May require a 34-mile round trip to Bideford PO with restricted opening hours and parking issues if we cannot collect undelivered post from Hartland.

3. We have a daily paper delivered by post. Papers arrive at Hartland Post Office and our WMN is wrapped, addressed, stamped and delivered on the day it was printed.

If the Post Office in Hartland is unable to sort the post I am not confident we will be able to have that day’s edition of the WMN delivered.

The daily paper printing and the daily post delivery for a really rural address may not be possible for each day’s paper and may lead to us receiving the paper a day late.

4. Broadband connectivity in rural areas, such as Hartland, is already poor, (superfast broadband is not coming to my postcode any time soon) and mobile phones are extremely bad indoors. We have few services in our parish to support the growing population – we cannot lose those that we do have.

I trust that you will support these comments and pledge your support for them with The Post Office.

Mrs S Heywood Hartland