North Canterbury residents are frustrated at a decision to remove postal services in their towns, which will force them to drive to collect their mail.
By David Hill for Local Democracy Reporting
New Zealand Post staff briefed the Waimakariri District Council last week on plans to end postal services at Waikuku Beach, Pegasus and Woodend in May.
It would be replaced by a new service in Ravenswood, north Woodend, which NZ Post plans to open this month.
Waikuku Beach resident Janine Rogers said residents relied on the post office boxes provided at the general store, due to a lack of residential mail delivery.
‘‘Having to drive to collect mail feels counterintuitive to the purpose of a mail service.
‘‘Residents should have the option to be included in a home delivery service if the boxes are to be moved.’’
Waimakariri district councillor Shona Powell said she was concerned for people with mobility issues in getting to Ravenswood, because of limited public transport in Waikuku Beach.
Waikuku Beach is 6km from the new service centre, but residents will need to cross the highway to get there.
Pegasus residents have safety concerns crossing State Highway 1 when walking or cycling, and the bus only goes every hour.
Powell said Pegasus had a population of around 4500, with a growing number of elderly and those with mobility issues.
She has been advocating for a post box in Pegasus, where people can post mail outside of business hours.
‘‘People can’t just drop down and post a card to a dear friend.’’
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said he was pleased to hear NZ Post was planning to create a new Ravenswood store, but he was concerned at the withdrawal of services from small, semi-rural communities such as Waikuku Beach.
‘‘I have lived in Waikuku and know the area well. I have extended an invitation to NZ Post to visit the area with me to better understand the situation on the ground.
‘‘I also formally requested they reconsider their proposal for this community, and to look at what additional services could be provided at Pegasus such as a receiving post box.’’
NZ Post general manager consumer Sarah Sandoval said NZ Post took ‘‘a careful, evidence-based approach’’ before deciding to close the Woodend Beach, Pegasus and Waikuku Beach agencies.
‘‘We took a detailed look at drive time data and engaged with our retail partners to gain local insights to help understand where changes made sense, including visiting the local area as part of this review process.’’
She said changes will begin from May, with the PO boxes being relocated from Waikuku Beach to the new Ravenswood store.
‘‘We recognise that access to mail remains important for Waikuku Beach residents, and we are exploring whether mail delivery could be a future option for the area,’’ Sandoval said.
She confirmed a new agency will open in Ravenswood this month.
‘‘Ravenswood was chosen because it has strong and growing foot traffic, making it a practical and convenient location for customers in the wider area.’’
The new store will provide a full range of services, including domestic and international parcel sending, letter sending and PO boxes.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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