Westbury-on-Trym residents: We got no post for a week, but neighbours did
HOUSEHOLDERS who spent a week without any mail were told a postman could not deliver for "health and safety reasons" – despite neighbouring streets still receiving letters.
The first post for a week landed on doormats in Delvin Road, Westbury- on-Trym, yesterday.
Snow first fell on Friday of last week, turning to ice on many of the city's pavements after being compacted by being walked on and frozen by frost.
Delvin Road residents first called Royal Mail at the start of this week to ask what had happened to their deliveries and were told they had been suspended. But in neighbouring Tuffley Road and Lake Road a postman was still making deliveries.
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Mark Wilson, 44, who lives in Delvin Road and runs a software support business from home, told The Post: "I realised at the start of the week that we hadn't received post for quite a while as I was waiting for some documents to arrive.
"When I rang Royal Mail I was told that occupational health and safety reasons meant the postman was unable to deliver due to the weather.
"It was surprising to see a postman still delivering in Lake Road – it seems unclear whether these rules applied to the whole organisation or just the individual postman."
Jo Willis, 31, a full-time mum who also lives in Delvin Road, said: "I realised I hadn't received post for quite a while and talking to neighbours I heard that our postman couldn't deliver in the snow due to health and safety reasons.
"It's my little boy's birthday in a few days and we'd ordered a few things online – I was starting to worry that he wouldn't receive any cards or presents."
Barbara Swirk, 31, a cafe worker who lives in Delvin Road, said: "I think that if the postman is worried he will slip over then it's fair enough."
Residents in Tuffley Road and Lake Road confirmed they had received post throughout the last week.
Royal Mail spokeswoman Morag Turnbull said staff were attempting to make deliveries where it was safe to do so but the effect of the "severe weather" in the Bristol area over the last few days mean that it had not been possible to make rounds in some areas.
Ms Turnbull added: "We apologise to customers who are experiencing delays to their deliveries in Bristol as a result of the severe winter weather conditions there.
"A range of measures have been put in place to ensure deliveries reach people as quickly as possible.
"We are doing our utmost to ensure continued deliveries but it may not be possible to do so everywhere because of the weather."
12 Comments
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by Charlespk
Friday, January 25 2013, 8:04PM
“Now you know why this country is in such a mess.”
by nickthompson
Friday, January 25 2013, 3:19PM
“Better get used to it,when a foreign company take over OUR Royal Mail home deliveries will cease,and the letter somebody posted to you with a £3 stamp attached will have to be collected BY YOU from a central collection point.”
by Pyronaught
Friday, January 25 2013, 2:47PM
“I don't think anyone has established whether or not this was actually an issue with one particular postie? Could be that he/she has some slight health/mobility issue that would make the icy conditions more difficult. Failing that - I see no reason why postmen shouldn't simply use the gripper thingies that slip over your shoes to give assistance in slippery conditions. As has been stated, plenty of businesses carried on regardless - all emergency services, shops, pubs, funeral directors, hospitals, power stations etc. etc. Then there are the odd 'nanny state' whingers who use any excuse to skive off for a day or two.”
by hockey_mjt
Friday, January 25 2013, 12:44PM
“Posh? Why, Delvin Road is in SOUTHMEAD, It says W-O-T in the article but its BS10 not BS9!! You should know your Boundaries..”
by FromMendip
Friday, January 25 2013, 12:28PM
“It would probably have been dangerous for firemen/women to have got out of their appliance to attend a fire in these streets or for paramedics to have left their ambulance to deal with serious medical events, so were they also on a banned list of workers not allowed to enter this area so dangerous to life and limb? Of course they weren't.
Health & Safety!! The zealots will be banning us from leaving our homes soon as the world outside is such a dangerous place in their eyes.”
by Rachykins
Friday, January 25 2013, 11:53AM
“Lockleaze residents: Didn't get their post for days either. Doesn't have the same ring to it though I guess, BEP?”
by Ciderboy671
Friday, January 25 2013, 11:49AM
“I find it quite amazing how often the H&S card is pulled out to get out of doing some work.
Fair enough if it's truly dangerous but it should be regularly reviewed.
Last Friday no buses were running yet Currys were able to deliver a new washing machine to me, bang on time, on a road which was a sheet of ice.
If some companies are able to keep running why can't all of them?
Having said that - did the residents do anything to clear the snow & ice around their houses so that deliveries could resume?”
by winford
Friday, January 25 2013, 11:18AM
“Maybe they could have volunteered to deliver the post - or would they have declined as it was to slippery!!!!!!!!!!! We havent had our bins empties from last Friday but its no problem - I wouldn't have expected the bin men to drive in the snowy conditions. They could have always gone to the Post office for their mail.”
by Supersnakes
Friday, January 25 2013, 10:16AM
“Didn't affect my carrier pigeon.”
by vrwrtuy
Friday, January 25 2013, 9:20AM
“Devastating. Hope they can recover. My prayers are with them.”