From Brian Davies, Royal Mail Manager:-

I WOULD like to respond to Mailbox correspondent Mr Greg Kemp's concerns about the changes to Wirral postcodes.

The proposed changes were announced at the earliest opportunity last September, when Royal Mail began a consultation programme about the plan with MPs, local authorities, chambers of commerce and other local groups plus the Post Office Advisory Council and Post Office Users' National Council. At the time, the proposals received extensive coverage in the local media.

Early last month, Royal Mail notified those groups and individuals that as from April the 'L' part of Wirral postcodes would change to 'CH'.

Letters will be sent out to all customers during April with details about these changes. However, to cause as little inconvenience and expense as possible, we will programme our sorting programme to read both old and new postcodes for at least 12 months from that date and possibly longer, if required. This will allow people, like Mr. Kemp, time to use up personalised and business stationery.

The switch to the new CH postcodes stems from Royal Mail's current £64 million investment in the North West which will provide the best possible postal service for customers. As part of this scheme, sorting of Wirral mail will be transferred later this year from Liverpool to a new, highly automated centre in Chester.

The postcode change will greatly assist our operations, enabling clearer routing of all Wirral mail and, therefore, more efficient handling and delivery.

Areas to receive the new postcode are: L41-L43 Birkenhead; L44-L45 Wallasey; L46-L49; L60-L63 Wirral; and L64-L66 South Wirral.

I hope this reassures Mr Kemp that he will not have to discard his new stationery, but if he or any other customers have any further enquiries, I would be happy to answer them directly if they write to me at the following address:-

Address Management Centre,

Royal Mail,

Castle Foregate,

SHREWSBURY SY1 1AA.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.