Huddersfield postmaster angry as new bollards force delivery drivers further away

A FURIOUS post office manager has claimed new bollards on the pavement outside his premises will threaten the safety of delivery drivers.

But the local councillor behind the scheme has hit back and said the safety of pedestrians is paramount.

Kirklees Council installed bollards outside Almondbury Post Office on Thursday to prevent vehicles parking on the pavement.

But boss of the Townend branch, Majeed Mayet, says the move means his Royal Mail, Parcelforce and cash machine delivery drivers are exposed to more risk as they have to walk further to get to his premises.

He said: “We’ve been here for 15 years and there’s never been a problem with parking outside.

“But the council has deemed fit to install bollards on the basis of complaints from one or two councillors.

“The police have driven past dozens of times when vans are parked on there and they’ve never objected to it.

“Delivery vans aren’t parking there, they’re just there for a couple of moments.”

Mr Mayet said he had been told Post Office, Royal Mail and cash delivery vans were to park in the nearby Co-op but claimed managers of the store had not sanctioned it.

Architect of the bollards plan, Almondbury Lib Dem, Clr Phil Scott, said he was sorry Mr Mayet was upset but said reversing vans were putting pedestrians and other motorists at “significant risk”.

He said: “I’ve been here over 20 years and I’ve seen vehicles nearly knock down several people including myself.

“Whenever people have seen these vans parking there they’ve said ‘Why is this allowed?’.

“A lot of people drive on there when it’s not there to be driven on.

“Public safety is paramount – yes there are high value items being delivered and collected but that doesn’t give them the right to put pedestrians at risk.

“How would Mr Mayet feel if it was his child that was knocked over by a reversing vehicle?”

Clr Scott said the bollards cost £2,000 but added: “The cost is insignificant compared to having someone injured.

“If it cost £100,000 it would have still been worth it.”

Clr Scott said the Co-op had formally agreed to allow Post Office deliveries to use its car park but said Mr Mayet could solve the problem by building his own loading bay at the rear of his premises.