Forum Topic

Brentford Sorting Office Closure

I understand that our sorting office is still due to be moved to the other side of Hounslow as from next June. Local Royal Mail staff advise that the number of personnel in the sorting office who deal with Brentford deliveries (as opposed to Isleworth) is relatively small. It would therefore make sense that Royal Mail rent a small location locally for the Brentford staff. This would also cut down immensely on their travel time and would clearly have huge benefits for Brentford residents. Does anyone have any 'inside' information as to RM intentions?

Joan Adamson ● 1860d15 Comments

So much for  'Walk or Cycle to work"  In just a decade that practicality has been completely eroded. No joined up thinking just politically fed rhetoric.Could not even manage to force the Post Office issue, nor the banks, nor the Royal Mail.It's far easier to screw the council tax payers who are easy prey.Nothing ever gets done except methods of raising revenue out of such initiatives.Kind of says it all.Good luck to those local posties who will be departing.

Raymond Havelock ● 1484d

I think the extra journey times Royal Mail have imposed on their local Brentford/Isleworth staff is shameful. From what I have heard from reliable sources, management did not even try to find another location in Brentford.  I know some of our 'posties' have transferred to more convenient locations. A big thank you to all - those who have left our area and those who remain. You are all very much appreciated.

Joan Adamson ● 1484d

There was a picture on Facebook of staff at the Royal Mail sorting office saying goodbye

Barbara Dudley ● 1484d

Received a card through the letter box today saying new arrangements for picking up mail and directions to Hounslow main PO in Holloway street.

Sarah Felstead ● 1494d

As usual it is the foot soldiers doing good while big boss sits at his desk looking at the screen watching and thinking "what can l do next to b***** up the system next.

Jean Harrison ● 1847d

Mr. Davda at Boston Parade P.O. was shielding for a while have recovered from aseries of serious ilnesses but parking is, and always has been, a royal PITA there.My local postie is brilliant. British but of Belgian and Ghanaian heritage we greet each other in English, Flemish and Twi and he is brilliant at 'keeping a watching eye out' with '"have you seen Mrs. X lately?" questions to neighbours.

N V Brooks ● 1855d

They have been really good. Out post  is great for keeping an eye out for older neighbours and will let others in the street who sometimes take in mail for them know if theres anything wrong.But the Royal Mail's Postmen and Women have been so good despite their management .Same the same cannot be said for the Post Office of which the protracted lack of has been a real pain in the backside.  And another long drive around looking for one open and providing a full service.At least the Boston Manor one is open properly now but almost impossible to park and carry packets to it.

Raymond Havelock ● 1855d

Hear hear Joan. I posted a card at three in the afternoon on 8th and it arrived at destination before 10am on the next day will that happen when they move? All postiesdeserve big pat on the back blooming marvellous they've been.

Jean Harrison ● 1855d

Thank you for your post Martin. Some of your comments mirror what I have already heard from other RM staff. It makes no sense to me that you and your colleagues have to travel across Hounslow to collect mail then drive all the way back to Brentford/Isleworth to distribute it to households. Then there is the inconvenience to residents who miss deliveries and have to make the journey to Godfrey Way and back. I hope your Union will keep the pressure on RM. My thanks to you and your colleagues for maintaining our postal deliveries during the last few months.

Joan Adamson ● 1856d

That's how all mail is handled. It goes to a distribution centre and then 'distributed' to the local area. TW7 and TW8 are veery dense areas so the final sorting and into walks or rounds is done there.It works and has done for a long time, but space is required. What does not make sense is local post using extra road movements and local jobs necessitating travel and in unsocial hours to boot.

Raymond Havelock ● 1856d

All mail collected up from TW8 pillar boxes etc is taken to the Jubilee Mail Centre in Godfrey Way off the Hanworth Road..on the Whitton border.  So does other mail collected from the Kingston and Guildford regions. The Jubilee Mail Centre has huge capacity. The Brentford Building is only a DELIVERY OFFICE for TW7 and TW8 isn't that so?

Jim Lawes ● 1856d

Good luck Martin.My brother-in-law, who has been with RM for over 30 years, is going through the same 'restructuring and relocation' exercise in the Midlands.

N V Brooks ● 1856d

I've worked here for over 15 years.We have had absolutely no update whatsoever on the move since the move was originally announced.I should add here that the staff found out about the proposals and likely forced management to actually announce it at the time.We were promised that we'd be kept informed, as and when any news became available. Our Union got on the case and went researching vacant properties within the TW8/TW7 area and their findings were relayed to the appropriate people.  There is a rumour that TW8 may remian within the area but in a different location.TW7 will still be moving to the mail centre on Godfrey Way on the edge of Hounslow/ Feltham.The simple fact is why would Royal Mail pay out for a move and a lease etc when they can simply move us all into the mail centre for relatively no cost?Staff are very much against the proposed move. It's been an incredibly difficult 3 months for us on the frontline. There have been changes in senior management and Royal Mail will no doubt use the pandemic and recent job changes as a reason for us not getting any updates on the move.We have less than 12 months left at our present location and we'd love to know what is happening so we can start planning our own lives. But hey, it's only our jobs.

Martin Webb ● 1856d

No joined up thinking but someone somewhere has a grand plan and we will find it out when itis too late Brentford will be a dormitory town lhave said it before so noplace for work units only bed units not even proper homes for families.

Jean Harrison ● 1857d

This is the rub.We have authorities going out of their way to force down car use and at the same time doing nothing to protect local employment infrastructure. Which might make Cycling or walking to work a little more realistic. So people who work unsocial hours now face even earlier starts having to travel further and thus rely on a car.So stuff that lets make it as awkward and as difficult as possible for residents to earn a living and have some sort of home life.Fix the roads and pavements first so it's easy to ride in all weathers and walk without tripping and slipping, And make sure proper industrial units of all sizes are protected from developers.What is the use of a town with barely any local work opportunities of all types?Why make it an easy choice for employers to relocate?Something really going wrong here. No joined up thinking and all the implementation back to front.

Raymond Havelock ● 1860d