A CAMPAIGN to save a postal delivery centre from closure has failed after the Royal Mail pushed ahead with its plans.

The decision has been met with anger from union and council bosses who fought to keep the centre in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, open for local residents.

As a result of the decision, people could be faced with having to travel into Middlesbrough town centre to pick up any parcels or mail that postal workers are unable to deliver.

The move comes after a successful campaign to save Guisborough’s delivery centre in 2011 and the closure of the Middlesbrough sorting office earlier this year.

In March, protesters took to the streets in an attempt to save the South Bank office, which employs about 40 people, but it will now merge with the Middlesbrough delivery office at Cannon Park.

Peter Hall, Cleveland amalgamated branch secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said that no consideration was given to the effect of closing down the South Bank centre on residents.

He said: “We came up with plenty of alternatives to closing the delivery centre down but they didn’t seem to want to listen to us, at times it was like banging our heads against the wall.

“Most of the jobs will be transferred but that doesn’t help people wanting to pick up their parcels or letters. I know there are alternatives for people that are already available but expecting people to travel eight miles is too much.”

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s South Bank councillor Ian Jeffrey, who spoke at the rally in March, said: “This is a real blow to our local community and the workers at the office. It is clear that Royal Mail are not interested in providing good, local, public services, they just want to cost cut.”

Council leader George Dunning added: “We have seen investment in the state of the art Eco Housing project, the Tesco Store and the additions to the Cleveland Retail Park on the Trunk Road. This with further proposals for 1,000 new homes on the Low Grange site doesn’t seem to make any economic sense from Royal Mail to take away such a prime located delivery office.”

Royal Mail spokesperson, Jennifer Bird, said the closure will not affect jobs or services.

She said: “There will be no effect on deliveries and collections to customers.

"We always offer our customers alternative means of receiving undelivered items of mail. This includes re-delivery to the addressee, to another local address specified by the customer, or to arrange collection from a nearby Post Office branch.

“This move will not result in any job losses and Royal Mail is confident that it will lead to an improved working environment for staff. We will communicate full details to customers in advance of any move.”