The announcement by Royal Mail that it plans to close the sorting office in Cambridge has been slammed as short-sighted by Cambridge Labour Parliamentary spokesperson Daniel Zeichner. If the plans go ahead, much of Cambridge’s incoming and outgoing letters and packets will depend on road connections via the A14 to Peterborough, at a time when road improvements remain years away. The changes will also add extra pressure on local roads around the Henley Road delivery office.

Mr Zeichner says that Royal Mail are concentrating on short-term cost-savings and ignoring the impact on services for customers and the impact on local residents:

“Royal Mail should think again about this plan. Cambridge is a rapidly expanding city. While letter numbers are declining, internet shopping is leading to a rapid expansion in parcels and packets. They should retain the sorting operation in Cambridge, even if it means relocating to another more suitable site. This is not just an internal management issue, it has an impact on local traffic patterns and on the level of service people in Cambridge can expect.”