Postmen's bikes to be phased out amid health fears

London:The traditional postman's bicycle is to be scrapped amid fears that heavier mail bags pose a health and safety risk.

Royal Mail plans to phase out its remaining 14,500 bicycles because of concerns that carrying the sack causes "long-term muscular and skeletal impact."

Instead, as part of a £2 billion (Dh11.4 billion) modernisation, postmen will travel to their rounds in vans and then deliver their letters and parcels from trolleys.

The switch marks the end of a tradition that goes back 130 years, and has led to concern that it will see the end of the ‘community postman'.

Paul Tolhurst, Royal Mail's field operations director, said that the changes were necessary now that postmen delivered fewer letters but more packets and parcels because of the rise in people sending books, DVDs and other bulky goods through the post.

He added: ‘This mail is, of course, heavier than the traditional letter.

"As our people carry heavier bags we have to consider the practicality of using cycles and the muscular and skeletal impact of placing up to two-and-half stone on the shoulder at the same time," he said.

Increase in accidents

"We have also seen an increase in accidents linked to the use of cycles on busy road networks when workers are carrying bags. It is a matter of safety."

Tolhurst made his comments in a letter to Tory minister David Willetts, who had been campaigning to keep postal workers on their bikes in his constituency of Havant, Hampshire.

This was one of several areas around the country that had scaled back — or abolished — bicycle deliveries. But this is now set to apply all over Britain.