Folkestone and Hythe Delivery Office Hour Cut Denied

The Royal Mail have stated that their delivery service counter hours at Folkestone and Hythe Sorting Office counter are not to be cut. Shepway Lib Dems received the assurance from the Royal Mail after contacting the company having been approached by local residents who had heard of potential hours cuts.

The delivery service counters are where you can pick up post which could not be delivered, such as oversized items or post that requires a signature and you are out when delivery was attempted. Many local residents and businesses rely on these services.

Shepway Lib Dems Chair Tim Prater contacted the Royal Mail to ask them if there were any plans to reduce the hours at either of the two offices. In a reply from Royal Mail Customer Services Advisor Amy Miller on 10 April, she states:

"I have contacted the manager of Folkestone Delivery Office and he has stated that they are not cutting their hours and Hythe Sorting office is nor closing."

Tim Prater welcomed the reply. He said:

"I'm pleased to receive this reassurance from the Royal Mail. Post often has to be collected from delivery offices, and it's critical that they are therefore open enough hours that its possible to do so.

"With what seems to be a regular cutting of local services, such as that of our fire services, the sell off of the Royal Victoria main building and the closing of our Post Offices, Folkestone residents are absolutely right to be watchful for any potential threat to the services we have left. I hope the Royal Mail's reply is reassuring, and that the Royal Mail will stick to it."