Post box pressure

By Bridget Cook
LYNDHURST residents who are forced to drive six kilometres to post a letter are pushing to have a mail box in their suburb.
But Australia Post has rejected their pleas saying the post boxes in neighbouring suburbs are enough to service the area.
A joint letter was tabled at Casey council’s meeting on Tuesday last week from the residents calling for council support.
The council will now write to Australia Post calling for a post box in the suburb as soon as possible.
Lyndhurst resident David Kilderry said while the Lynbrook post letter box seems close, it actually a long drive as the railway line cuts the suburbs off from each other.
“If there was a level crossing at the railway line, we wouldn’t be having this argument,” he said.
“If it’s wet or you don’t feel like a long walk, residents have to drive at least six kilometres to simply post a letter.
“I run a business in the area, and have to drive to Lynbrook village each day.
“There would not be another suburb in Melbourne that would have to drive that far.
“Australia Post needs to make an exception to its rigid rules to allow us this luxury.”
Casey councillor Amanda Stapledon said the residents should not have to drive that far to do something as simple as post a letter.
“In a day and age where we are encouraging one-car families, more walking, less driving, and to relieve some of the congestion on the Westernport Highway and Thompsons Road, a letter box in Lyndhurst is required sooner rather than later,” Cr Stapledon said.
“Long term, Lyndhurst will require a post office also however, for the immediate, the residents require a letter box.
“I have requested this of Australia Post on a couple of occasions and now feel that with the support of council in doing the same, greater weight can be given to delivering this much needed and essential service in the immediate future.”
Australia Post spokeswoman Melanie Ward said at this stage Australia Post does not believe a post box in Lyndhurst would meet the minimum requirements for it to maintain its service.
“The existing post box in the surrounding area are believed to be capable of servicing the community’s needs, with lodgement points located next to supermarkets and other commercial businesses to allow residents to post their mail when they perform their daily tasks, such as grocery shopping,” she said.