HC Deb 21 May 1958 vol 588 cc1275-7
16. Miss Vickers

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consult local authorities and others concerned in the building of flats to see if it is possible to have a set of postboxes on the ground floor for each individual flat, in order to save the postman climbing up and down many flights of steps, as has to be done in many cases.

Mr. Marples

We have already had some consultations of this kind, but I think there is scope for extending them, and I am arranging for this.

Miss Vickers

Will my right hon. Friend be careful, particularly in regard to new dwellings, to take steps to prevent what happens now, when postmen often have to go upstairs with just one letter? I hope that my right hon. Friend will look into the matter again in order that he may understand the circumstances of the trouble.

17. Miss Vickers

asked the Postmaster-General if he will have consultations with builders of houses with front gardens to ascertain if it would be possible to have postboxes at the gate or entrance to the path leading to the front door.

Mr. Marples

We are seeking people's views on this form of delivery in our current public opinion survey on the Postal Services. At the same time, I am looking into the advantages and disadvantages of the arrangement.

Miss Vickers

Has my right hon. Friend ever seen the way in which it is worked in New Zealand? The system works very well there. The postbox is at the gate. Very often, on undulating sites in this country, the postman has to take as many as sixteen steps to the front door and sixteen steps back in order to deliver one letter. I hope that my right hon. Friend will see that this matter is treated as one of urgency.

Mr. Marples

I can assure my hon. Friend that we are going into this matter seriously by having time and motion studies made in order to find out the time saved if postmen can deliver letters at the end of the garden instead of having to go right up to the front door. We are also examining the American system. Those are two examples of the steps that we are taking to go thoroughly into this matter.

Sir P. Agnew

If this change is brought in, since it will be less convenient for residents, will my right hon. Friend be able to reduce the cost of the postage stamp on letters?

Mr. Marples

I would rather await the outcome of our investigations.