POST across Coventry and Solihull is being collected and delivered as normal during the coronavirus lockdown – but since yesterday new social distancing measures are now in place.
Hand-held devices to record signature will not be handed to customers, but logged by postmen and postwomen and bigger parcels will be place at the door while Royal Mail staff knock and step aside to a safe distance while the parcel is collected.
Shane O’Riordain, managing director of marketing at Royal Mail on Tuesday, said: We understand the important role we have to play in helping people to stay connected. We are working hard to deliver the UK’s mail. The mail is still scheduled to be collected and delivered as normal. This is a fast moving situation and local service levels may at times be impacted by local absences.
“Royal Mail takes the health and safety of its colleagues, its customers and the communities very seriously.
“From today we have introduced a range of new social distancing measures aimed at offering further protection for our colleagues. Standard ways of working are being revised to ensure that, wherever possible, colleagues stay two metres apart. And we are calling for the washing of hands when colleagues enter and leave Royal Mail buildings, as well as at regular times during the day.”
When it comes to customer deliveries he said: “We are temporarily not handing over our hand-held devices to customers to capture signatures. Postmen and postwomen will instead log the name of the person accepting the item, and can sign on their behalf. This will apply to all deliveries that require a signature.
“Additionally, for all customers (including those who are self-isolating) where we need to deliver any parcel that won’t fit through their letterbox, we will place their item at their door. Having knocked on the door, we will then step aside to a safe distance while they retrieve their item. This will ensure the item is delivered securely rather than being left outside.
“If they are unable to come to the door at all we will issue a ‘Something for You’ card, advising of other ways they can arrange to get their item. For example, by getting a friend or family member to collect the parcel from our local Customer Service Point on their behalf.
“In this situation, and to keep their mail as secure as possible, they will need to bring along the card we left and a form of ID in the name of the person the item is addressed to.”