Forum Message

Topic: Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike
Posted by: James Dixon
Date/Time: 09/10/07 12:11:00

I think it is time to ‘think outside the box’ on this issue.

This could well be a turning-point in the history of postal services, just as the Beeching Report was a turning-point in the history of the railways. [Last year, passenger numbers crept up to their highest since the late 1940s; then, there were more than 1,000,000 working on the railways, now the figure is well less than 20% of that number].

We currently appear to have a steam-age postal service.

Key question: how many postal workers do we have per million population in this country, where 90% of the population live in towns, by comparison with other European countries? France would not be a valid comparison, as so many people live in the country; Holland might be better.

We currently have the dubious luxury of having our post delivered through individual letter-boxes. Much climbing of stairs in blocks of flats; opening and closing of gates in remote country areas; in and out of drives in suburbia; all amidst occasional dogs that bite.

There are 2 possible ways forward:

[1] Vast arrays of boxes at local post offices, or other convenient locations, where people would have to go to collect. That would be too drastic, I think.

[2] Boxes so located along roads that the postman need not wander from the pavement at all; boxes at the entrances to blocks of flats; etc..

Radical, yes, and quite a change to the appearance of streets. There are some dreadful boxes in places like the USA and New Zealand, which are most unsightly, but I came across some wonderful ones in Norway: wooden, fully secure, and beautifully decorated.

In the small cul-de-sac in which I live, with 11 houses, it takes a full 5 minutes to deliver the post; it could be just 30 seconds if we had appropriate boxes at the end of the road.

Virtually everyone has a telephone these days, and it is seriously cheaper than even ten years ago [I use a service which gives entirely free calls landline to UK landline, subject to a 5p connection charge]. The majority of people [obviously everyone using this website] have internet connections. But the older and the less well-off do not, which concerns me.

A quality, national, reasonably-priced, reliable postal service is desperately needed, and this is not happening. Modern technology simply can’t cope with ALL needs, such as the delivery of road fund licences, bills, etc.. Costs have got to come down. Cutting staff numbers must be the number one priority.

That the leader of the UCW should still be pleading about the retention of Sunday collections is daft; it’s a luxury we can ill afford.

Come on, someone, give us a lead.

Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
Postal Strike04/10/07 14:25:00 John Chambers
   Re:Postal Strike04/10/07 20:16:00 Sean Hodges
   Re:Postal Strike04/10/07 20:17:00 Sean Hodges
      Re:Re:Postal Strike04/10/07 20:48:00 Paul Oakenfield
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/10/07 09:31:00 Lucille Grant
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/10/07 14:56:00 John Chambers
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/10/07 15:10:00 Peter Simpson
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/10/07 19:00:00 Simon Knight
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/10/07 21:41:00 Michael Ixer
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike06/10/07 20:19:00 John Chambers
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 01:34:00 John Chambers
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 09:17:00 Lucille Grant
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 09:26:00 Jean Gilmore
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 09:26:00 Jean Gilmore
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 09:26:00 Jean Gilmore
   Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 10:18:00 Adrian Nalden
      Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 11:06:00 Lucille Grant
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 12:11:00 James Dixon
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 19:18:00 Adrian Nalden
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike09/10/07 20:49:00 James Dixon
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 17:09:00 Allen Bracchi
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 17:12:00 John Chambers
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 17:35:00 Lucille Grant
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 17:58:00 Catherine Schade
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 18:23:00 Leslie McDonnell
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 20:25:00 Lucille Grant
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 20:54:00 Adrian Nalden
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 21:00:00 John Chambers
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 21:14:00 Adrian Nalden
   Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 21:06:00 John Chambers
   Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 22:16:00 Martin Hime
      Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 22:33:00 Martine Guy
      Re:Re:Postal Strike10/10/07 22:36:00 Lucille Grant
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 01:07:00 John Chambers
   Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 01:53:00 Martin Hime
      Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 09:39:00 Martine Guy
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 11:44:00 Mark Smith
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 12:24:00 Martin Hime
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 12:43:00 Martine Guy
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 13:02:00 Mark Smith
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 14:21:00 Leslie McDonnell
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 14:38:00 Martine Guy
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 14:54:00 John Chambers
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 14:54:00 John Chambers
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 15:18:00 Leslie McDonnell
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 16:37:00 Mark Smith
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 18:02:00 Martine Guy
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 18:50:00 Lucille Grant
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 19:08:00 Jonathan Callaway
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/10/07 21:25:00 Mark Smith
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 02:30:00 John Chambers
                                             Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 10:01:00 Martine Guy
                                                Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 11:01:00 Mark Smith
   Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 11:22:00 Leslie McDonnell
      Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 11:39:00 Martine Guy
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 12:16:00 Mark Smith
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 12:57:00 Sian Ryan
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 13:04:00 Adrian Nalden
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 13:48:00 Martine Guy
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 15:07:00 Mark Smith
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 15:24:00 John Chambers
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 17:00:00 Mark Smith
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 17:29:00 Craig Fordham
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 17:41:00 Neil Moulding
   Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 19:11:00 Kandy Bowden
      Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 20:43:00 Lucille Grant
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 20:51:00 Adrian Nalden
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 21:08:00 Lucille Grant
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 21:28:00 John Chambers
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike12/10/07 21:48:00 Neil Moulding
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike13/10/07 00:36:00 John Chambers
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike13/10/07 07:59:00 Leslie McDonnell
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike13/10/07 18:29:00 Lucille Grant
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike13/10/07 20:36:00 John Chambers
   Re:Postal Strike14/10/07 22:38:00 John Chambers
      Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 09:08:00 Neil Moulding
      Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 09:35:00 Catherine Schade
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 10:16:00 Martine Guy
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 14:16:00 John Chambers
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 16:45:00 Ronald Leslie Redfern
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 17:33:00 John Chambers
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/10/07 19:23:00 Martin Hime
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 13:35:00 Neil Moulding
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 13:43:00 Lucille Grant
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 14:00:00 Jonathan Callaway
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 14:09:00 John Chambers
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 16:59:00 James Dixon
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 17:30:00 Lucille Grant
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 18:02:00 James Dixon
   Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 18:53:00 Caroline Whitehead
      Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 19:48:00 Sean Hodges
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 22:50:00 John Chambers
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/10/07 23:09:00 Martin Hime
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike17/10/07 07:04:00 Martine Guy
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike17/10/07 07:57:00 Lucille Grant
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike17/10/07 12:32:00 John Chambers
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike17/10/07 12:50:00 Martin Hime
   Re:Postal Strike17/10/07 12:57:00 Martin Hime
      Re:Re:Postal Strike18/10/07 19:34:00 Mark Smith
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike18/10/07 20:30:00 Martin Hime
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike20/10/07 11:18:00 Catherine Schade
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike22/10/07 16:30:00 Peter Rennie
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike22/10/07 19:51:00 Neil Moulding
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike22/10/07 20:03:00 Leslie McDonnell
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike22/10/07 21:01:00 Jean Gilmore
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike22/10/07 22:02:00 Martine Guy
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 10:09:00 Catherine Schade
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 11:27:00 Martine Guy
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 11:39:00 Leslie McDonnell
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 12:14:00 Adrian Nalden
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 12:20:00 Allen Bracchi
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 12:20:00 Catherine Schade
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 14:17:00 Simon Kelly
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike23/10/07 14:24:00 James Dixon
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike24/10/07 09:11:00 Catherine Schade
   Re:Postal Strike24/10/07 14:12:00 Catherine Schade
      Re:Re:Postal Strike24/10/07 17:09:00 Steve Toole
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike26/10/07 14:28:00 Peter Rennie
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike26/10/07 14:29:00 Joanna Lilley
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike26/10/07 14:44:00 Catherine Schade
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike26/10/07 15:09:00 Peter Rennie
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike26/10/07 15:13:00 Jonathan Callaway
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike26/10/07 16:00:00 Steve Toole
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike27/10/07 22:50:00 Mark Smith
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike28/10/07 10:07:00 Neil Moulding
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike28/10/07 10:25:00 Jonathan Callaway
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike28/10/07 22:22:00 Adrian Nalden
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike29/10/07 16:12:00 Simon Knight
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike31/10/07 11:45:00 Peter Rennie
                                    Re:Re:Postal Strike31/10/07 13:47:00 Darla Smith
                                       Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike31/10/07 14:22:00 James Dixon
                                          Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike02/11/07 13:19:00 Peter Rennie
                                             Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike03/11/07 01:15:00 John Chambers
   Re:Postal Strike03/11/07 08:13:00 Leslie McDonnell
      Re:Re:Postal Strike03/11/07 16:57:00 Peter Rennie
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike03/11/07 19:18:00 Simon Knight
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike04/11/07 08:34:00 Catherine Schade
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike04/11/07 13:30:00 Helen Passey
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike04/11/07 14:12:00 Peter Rennie
   Re:Postal Strike10/11/07 12:56:00 Peter Rennie
      Re:Re:Postal Strike10/11/07 18:35:00 James Dixon
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/11/07 10:25:00 Peter Rennie
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/11/07 11:56:00 James Dixon
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike11/11/07 23:24:00 John Chambers
   Re:Postal Strike14/11/07 10:59:00 Sian Evans
   Re:Postal Strike14/11/07 11:47:00 Martin Hime
      Re:Re:Postal Strike14/11/07 13:51:00 Sian Evans
         Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike14/11/07 17:28:00 Simon Knight
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/11/07 13:30:00 Peter Rennie
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike16/11/07 10:13:00 Jonathan Callaway
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike24/11/07 15:41:00 James Dixon
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike28/11/07 04:21:00 Kirsty Hackshall
                        Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike28/11/07 09:17:00 Sean Hodges
                           Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike28/11/07 10:12:00 Martine Guy
                              Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike04/12/07 22:08:00 Jonathan Callaway
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/12/07 12:10:00 Fraser Pearce
                                 Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike05/12/07 15:47:00 Mark Smith
                                    Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike15/12/07 18:11:00 Jonathan Callaway
                                       Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Postal Strike17/12/07 16:41:00 Maggie Morris
   Re:Postal Strike16/12/07 17:32:00 John Chambers
      Re:Re:Postal Strike03/01/08 10:00:00 James Dixon
   Re:Postal Strike05/01/08 21:33:00 Jean Gilmore
      Re:Re:Postal Strike07/01/08 12:12:00 Simon Knight

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