Farnworth mail sorting office under review

12:00pm Friday 18th July 2008

ROYAL Mail’s sorting office in Farnworth could be closed or extended under plans to change the way post is distributed.

The centre in Stonehill Road is facing an overhaul, along with others in Stockport, Oldham, Manchester, Preston and Crewe, as well as the regional distribution centre in Warrington.

It is part of a review of the Royal Mail’s North-west infrastructure.

The company has announced options and the centres have been split into two groups, with Farnworth in the first group.

Along with Oldham, the office could be extended and a new mail centre built in Stockport with a new delivery office sited in the North-west.

Another option is to extend the Stonehill Road office, close Stockport and Oldham centres, moving their work to Manchester, and invest in a new delivery office in the region.

The final possibility is to close Farnworth, Stockport and Oldham, with Manchester taking on their work, sending WN postcoded mail to Preston and build a new delivery office in the area.

The second group focuses on changes in Liverpool, Crewe and at the regional distribution centre in Warrington. Royal Mail said it was carrying out consultation before any decisions are made.

A spokesman said: “Royal Mail is seeking the views of its people and trade unions before announcing the one option from each group it believes offers the most benefits.

“The current network is not capable of sustaining the improvements to efficiency required for Royal Mail to meet the challenges of an open, competitive market in which mail volumes are declining.

“Operating from two sites is not an option, consequently the review team has been assessing alternatives.”

The review, which looked at where improvements can be made and how new technology and automated equipment can best be accommodated, identified that only Manchester and Preston centres are fit for purpose.