Postmen told to ditch bikes for trolleys (UK)
Postmen have been told to use trolleys instead of using their bikes, so their shoulders are not injured carrying heavy mail bags.
The move, which has been introduced in Lancashire, comes after one depot took delivery of 60 new bicycles.
All delivery offices in the county are taking part in the trial, which aims to reduce shoulder strain by replacing the bike with “high-capacity” trolleys, which can carry more mail.
But the move has not gone down well with all postmen and women.
One worker from the Leyland depot, where trolleys are currently being favoured over bikes, said: “We are absolutely baffled. They tell us it is health and safety because of the big bags we have on our shoulders but the bikes have saddle bags, so that makes no sense either.
“Can you imagine having to walk miles away from the office, all the time getting further and further away and then having to come back? They are going to be knackered.”
He said postmen and women on the routes chosen for the trial had been told they had “no option” other than to use the trolleys, despite Royal Mail having bought 60 new bikes last year.
The Royal Mail spokesman insisted that “the majority of staff” still had the option of using bicycles on their deliveries.
Postmen have been told to use trolleys instead of using their bikes, so their shoulders are not injured carrying heavy mail bags.
The move, which has been introduced in Lancashire, comes after one depot took delivery of 60 new bicycles.
All delivery offices in the county are taking part in the trial, which aims to reduce shoulder strain by replacing the bike with “high-capacity” trolleys, which can carry more mail.
But the move has not gone down well with all postmen and women.
One worker from the Leyland depot, where trolleys are currently being favoured over bikes, said: “We are absolutely baffled. They tell us it is health and safety because of the big bags we have on our shoulders but the bikes have saddle bags, so that makes no sense either.
“Can you imagine having to walk miles away from the office, all the time getting further and further away and then having to come back? They are going to be knackered.”
He said postmen and women on the routes chosen for the trial had been told they had “no option” other than to use the trolleys, despite Royal Mail having bought 60 new bikes last year.
The Royal Mail spokesman insisted that “the majority of staff” still had the option of using bicycles on their deliveries.
He said: “As part of Royal Mail’s commitment to increase efficiency and compete in an increasingly commercial world, we are looking at new and improved ways of working.
“Rather than having to come back for mail they would be able to take it with them and it also means they will not have to carry normal shoulder bags so there is no risk of strain there.”
Andy Tatchell, the branch secretary of the Lancashire and Cumbria CWU, said: “Better solutions are being sought so that we can implement best practice.
“We are looking at how we best deliver the mail from an efficiency point of view and a health and safety point of view. The capacity of these trolleys is greater than the bags.”
Later, the Royal Mail added: “It is nonsense to suggest that we are phasing out the bike. We have 30,000 nationally and the bicycle is a key part of our equipment and will remain so.”
