A former postmaster is ready to turn postman in a bid to re-start suspended mail deliveries in Meltham.
Richard Noon, former postmaster at Meltham Post Office, said it was about time that deliveries suspended last month were reinstated.
Deliveries to some 120 homes in the Copley Avenue area were stopped indefinitely in early August.
Royal Mail suspended deliveries in the wake of three dog attacks on postal workers. One of the postmen, known only as ‘Jack’, sustained serious arm injuries which will need extensive plastic surgery.
Bosses at Royal Mail say the suspension will remain in place until police give them assurances that their staff will be safe.
Householders are having to collect their mail from Holmfirth Sorting Office but now Mr Noon says he is willing to deliver the mail himself to shame Royal Mail into action.
Mr Noon, who handed over the reins of the Carlile Institute-based post office to new owner Syed Hussain last month, said: “There seems to be an impasse.
“What we want is to get all sides around the table and get the deliveries started again.
“It’s an inconvenience for local people and there is no end in sight to all this. I am quite prepared to get some volunteers together and organise the deliveries myself.
“I will be speaking to Royal Mail but there shouldn’t be a problem from a security point of view as I have only just stepped down as postmaster.”
When deliveries were first suspended the mail was taken to Meltham Post Office for householders to collect.
But with Mr Hussain only having taken over a couple of weeks ago he is still learning the ropes at the post office and he and his staff don’t have time to act as a distribution point.
Mr Hussain said: “I am really sorry but it’s just not practical for us. The Royal Mail should look at other options.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said it wouldn’t be possible to ‘delegate’ deliveries to volunteers and potentially put others at risk.
The company had written to 28 known dog owners asking them to ensure postal workers would be safe making deliveries to their homes. Only one person had replied saying they had put a mail box outside.
In a statement the spokesman said: “We sincerely apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused. The safety and welfare of our staff is paramount and the suspension of delivery is always a last resort.
“We need the local situation to improve before we can reinstate deliveries. We have also written to around 28 known dog owners in the area and only one owner has replied.
“The issue locally is that our postmen and women are unable to see front doors from the garden gates to check if dogs are in the gardens or loose.”
