Why on earth is this driver parking on the pavement? Normally the excuse is ‘I had to park on the pavement’, but in this case there are virtually no over vehicles in view. A different royal mail vehicle parked in exactly the same position the previous week – when I asked why he didn’t park across the road 20 meters away on the carriageway the driver explained that it was ‘too far’. This it not an isolated case unfortunately. There are more below and a few weeks back I blogged about this royal mail vehicle that obstructed two double decker buses in the centre of Ipswich. The driver explained that he could park exactly where he felt like because he was working for the crown!
Why park on the pavement when the road is empty!
Proper pavement parking
Not getting out, just sitting there on a double yellow with the door open while having a chat
Personally I think it is for the Royal Mail to do something about this. They need to do more ‘pedestrian awareness’ training or whatever and prove that they take the issue seriously. If they continue to park like this they will continue doing serious damage to their reputation.
Pedestrian Liberation 
I wonder whether it’s worth talking to the CWU about it? Should try to get the drivers on side. Unions, I would hope, would be more receptive to the inclusivity issues.
I hear that CWU have had issues with RM bosses instructing posties to ignore vehicle faults like bald tires.
So much of this is, of course, because industry have built their business models on breaking the rules of the road. The things they do, at the prices they’re charging, wouldn’t make money if they didn’t break the law doing it.
II have no connections to the unions, but it is certainly a issue that they could take up – the only problem is that unless a whole industry moves at the same time then they will be putting their own member’s at risk if they force costs up for their employers and not for their competitors.
I total agree about these industries building businesses around breaking the rules.
Currently it is the delivery firms and numerous other service companies. I am reminded however that back in 1929 bus and coach companies operated their services to timetables that required drivers to break the 20mph blanket speed limit of the time – one reason why speed limits were abandoned in 1930. I had however taken the government 27 years to bring in any legislation at all relating to speed limits.
To my mind we are in a coalition building stage at present, and that coalition needs to be very broad – bringing unions into the frame is a great idea.
I work for royal mail. A few years back i did a town centre duty. This was a very difficult duty for parking as you can imagine. I would always park in a loading bay if it was applicable, but during peak times/days this was near impossible due to the number of disabled drivers that would use all loading bays as parking spaces. Put in mind no one, not even royal mail can park in a disabled spot. When questioning a traffic warden as to how the disabled can use a stop and drop point (loading bay) to park for hours, i was met with a response of, “we have been told not to issue parking fines to blue badge holders, due to the council not wanting the bad publicity”. This i feel is a outrage, its a classic sign of everyone taking the politically correct nation we live in. I must say that royal mail have very stricken driving regulations at my office. Any driver not compliant with the rules will be taken off driving duties and will be re-tested at a stated date. With the introduction of modernization. There are now more royal mail vehicles than ever before. And i am afraid to say this maybe a ever increasing problem. Also know that with every duty that i know of in the N/W area have set parking spaces which have been set by CWU & Management/H&S.
Thank you very much for your comment.
This is indeed a difficult problem. I don’t think anyone is suggesting it isn’t. Personally, In my town I have seen a pattern of royal mail drivers parking on the pavement out of habit in situations where there is call for it at all. I have also witnessed royal mail driver holding up two double-decker buses full of people rather than park in a loading bay across the road and then telling me he has a right to do so. If we can crack those attitudes then that will be a big step forward.
I was in Amsterdam recently, and spotted a DHL delivery person who he had a very efficient looking trolley which he was using to deliver a series of trolley loads of parcels to addresses within a pedestrianised area. I didn’t even see his van. Personally, I think employers have a responsibility to ensure that their staff have appropriate vehicles, training and equipment to deliver in a considerate and legal way as that DHL driver did. I will also support anyone who wants to help make that happen.