Does the rise in internet shopping spell the end for the postie on his bike?

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The Royal Mail has denied it is phasing out all bikes but says the rise in online shopping has seen the weight of parcels for postal cyclists increase significantly.

“Royal Mail is making a number of changes in delivery methods as part of a £2bn modernisation of its entire operation, and it is certainly not a straightforward switch to vans for those postmen and women who currently use bicycles,” a spokesman said.

GEM’s could provide the perfect alternative

Electric trolleys and GEM electric vans are among the alternatives to conventional diesel vans being considered. The French postal service la Poste already successfully runs a fleet of around 200 GEM’s.

In an unusual show of support, the Communication Workers Union has backed Royal Mail management, saying it “fully supports” the changes citing safety, efficiency and emissions as grounds for the change.

“What most people don’t know is that thousands of postal workers every week use their own private cars on delivery. This not only raises problems of insurance and safety but is an invisible major contributor of emissions.”