Residents of the North West have expressed outrage over Royal Mail’s decision to cut news services in the region. They argue that the move is “short-sighted” and will have a negative impact on local communities. The Royal Mail announced its plans to discontinue news delivery in the North West as part of a cost-cutting drive. The company said that the decision was made after a review of its operations and that it would continue to deliver parcels and other mail services in the region. However, residents say that the loss of news delivery will have a significant impact on their communities. They argue that local newspapers are an important source of information and that their disappearance will leave a void in the community. “Local newspapers are the lifeblood of our communities,” said one resident. “They provide us with essential information about what’s happening in our area and hold those in power to account. Without them, we will be much less informed and our communities will be worse off.” Another resident said that the loss of news delivery would particularly impact older people and those who do not have access to the internet. “For many people, their local newspaper is their only source of news,” she said. “Without it, they will be completely cut off from what’s happening in their community.” Residents are calling on Royal Mail to reconsider its decision and continue to deliver news services in the North West. They say that the loss of these services would be a major blow to local communities and would have a negative impact on the region’s democracy and civic life...
+
Pete+Malone,+who+served+as+postman+in+Bettyhill+for+nearly+thirteen+years.
Royal+Mail+has+come+under+fire+after+it+was+revealed+a+“lifeline”+in+north-west+Sutherland+would+be+closed+at+the+end+of+June.
Older+residents+of+remote+villages+in+the+North+West+have+relied+on+the+Rural+Newspaper+Delivery+Service+(RNDS)+for+decades+to+receive+news+and+magazine+titles+delivered+to+their+door+via+Royal+Mail.
RELATED:
The+closure+of+sorting+offices+is+raising+‘serious’+concerns+about+postal+practices+in+north-west+Sutherland
Spotlight+on+postal+delivery+issues+that+will+have+a+positive+impact+on+postal+performance,+Highland+MP+hopes
Royal+Mail’s+mail+deliveries+in+the+Highlands+are+at+‘breaking+point’,+Communication+Workers’+Union+has+warned
But+in+a+letter+to+local+stores+in+April,+the+Postal+Service+confirmed+it+would+be+withdrawing+the+service,+labeling+it+as+no+longer+“commercially+viable.”
+
The+letter+said:+“We+must+ensure+that+our+services+reflect+costs+and+our+changing+operational+network+and+processes.++The+use+of+the+national+newspaper+delivery+service+has+declined+in+recent+years+and+it+is+no+longer+commercially+viable+to+offer+this+service.”
The+RNDS+will+stop+on+June+30.
Strathnaver+resident+Kevin+Innes+is+in+his+60s,+and+now+that+he+has+settled+into+rural+life+he+believes+cuts+to+services+such+as+the+RNDS+are+‘short-sighted’.
+++
He+said:+“A+few+weeks+ago,+when+I+paid+for+our+papers+at+the+Bettyhill+store,+I+was+told+Royal+Mail+were+withdrawing+the+service.
“So+if+I+want+my+papers,+I+now+have+to+drive+a+20-mile+round+trip+to+get+it.++What+about+the+older+people+who+can+no+longer+drive,+where+the+newspaper+is+their+lifeline?
“I+see+on+the+news+that+the+SNP+wants+to+reduce+car+use.++This+will+only+make+people+use+more+cars.
“Plus,+previously+if+you+couldn’t+get+to+Thurso+and+your+Tesco+delivery+is+in+a+few+days,+we+could+always+call+the+store+in+Bettyhill+and+the+postman+would+bring+over+what+you+need.
“Whether+it+was+bread+or+milk.++That+all+stops+now.
“I+just+think+it’s+so+shortsighted.++It+doesn’t+cost+Royal+Mail+anything+and+it’s+a+great+service.”
Bettyhill+Post+Office+and+General+Mercantile+Stores
Pete+Malone,+who+runs+Bettyhill+General+Merchants,+believes+Royal+Mail+is+breaching+their+own+definition+of+a+key+figure+in+service+cuts,+which+he+says+were+outlined+in+2020+for+postal+workers+during+the+Covid+pandemic.
“I+cannot+reconcile+the+two+positions,”+he+said.++“This,+together+with+the+closure+of+the+SPDO+offices+in+all+remote+rural+areas,+is+yet+another+blow+to+the+future+viability+of+the+rural+post+office+network.
“We+have+many+customers+who+rely+on+the+RNDS+to+receive+their+news+and+not+only+provide+us+with+a+service,+but+also+act+as+a+regular+check-in+point+to+ensure+that+most+older+people+are+doing+well.
+
