Removal of Royal Mail Postal Collection

Heidi Allen Excerpts

Tuesday 27th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

I rise to present a petition about the removal of the Royal Mail postal collection box on the High Street in Cottenham. The petition states

“that the residents and Parish Council of Cottenham in South Cambridgeshire are adversely affected by the removal of the Royal Mail postal collection box on the High Street”

and requests that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government should make representations to Royal Mail to reinstate a collection box in the vicinity better to support residents in this rural area. The petition also states that the petitioners urge the Ministry and

“the Royal Mail to support the earliest possible re-instatement of a collection box in the central section of Cottenham High Street, one of the longest in England.”

This is an important issue for hundreds of my elderly residents, who rely heavily on being able to access a postbox in a rural location. I give special thanks to Audrey Brownlow and Councillor Frank Morris for first bringing this to my attention and for their tireless efforts. We look forward to a considered response from the Minister.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The petition of residents of Cottenham, South Cambridgeshire,

Declares that the residents and Parish Council of Cottenham in South Cambridgeshire are adversely affected by the removal of the Royal Mail postal collection box on the High Street; and further that the Department of Communities and Local Government should make representations to Royal Mail to re-instate a collection box in the vicinity to better support residents in such rural areas.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Royal Mail to support the earliest possible re-instatement of a collection box in the central section of Cottenham High Street, one of the longest in England.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

[P002112]

[Mr Speaker]

We now move on—[Interruption.] The hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman) has been thirsting to raise a point of order, mercifully briefly, I think, so I do beg her pardon.