Royal Mail has firmly refused to reconsider its decision to close its Crichton Street collection office in Dundee despite a last-minute plea by city councillors.
Nine councillors and chief executive David Dorward met senior officials from Royal Mail on Sunday in the hope of persuading the company to think again.
But they had the door slammed in their faces by Royal Mail’s director of Scottish affairs Ian McKay and Terry Allan, lead delivery sector manager, who refused to budge on the issue.
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson, whose motion led to the meeting taking place, said: “It is disappointing that Royal Mail are unwilling to reconsider the closure of the Crichton Street office.
“The nine councillors who attended the meeting representing wards right across Dundee highlighted the many concerns raised by customers that, given that the Crichton Street inquiry office was a very central facility in the city and the alternative facilities are not located in the city centre, this closure is having a detrimental impact on customers, particularly those who rely on public transport to visit Royal Mail facilities.
“It was a lengthy meeting but, at the end of it, what was very clear is that Royal Mail is not going to reconsider the closure or look for alternative city centre facilities and that’s a deeply regrettable situation.”
Mr Macpherson added: “A number of us also highlighted the ridiculous result that residents in parts of the West End who live very close to the Edward Street collection office but because their postcode is DD2 rather than DD1 have to go all the way to the remote Baird Avenue collection centre to collect their item.
“It would make far more sense that this part of DD2 did not have to travel to Baird Avenue, given the distance and the extremely poor public transport links.”
Mr Macpherson said the Royal Mail officials did agree to look again at the disabled access at Baird Avenue and signs at the office and also indicated that a pilot was being introduced elsewhere in Scotland that, if successful, would widen the redelivery opportunities for customers.
But the meeting was given no sign that Mr McKay and Mr Allan were willing to reconsider the decision.
Mr Macpherson added: “Its loss is a real blow to many Royal Mail customers and many of my constituents are being significantly inconvenienced by it.”