FOLLOWING controversial postcode changes, people in Wirral will be able to find out how to make the most of their post.

A Royal Mail roadshow is in Birkenhead Library on Thursday and Friday, September 9 and 10. It will offer addressing advice to help speed letters through the postal system.

The roadshow is a major public relations exercise by Royal Mail following a change of postcode from L to CH for all Wirral addresses and, in some cases, the introduction of a new post town.

Brian Davies, Royal Mail Address Centre Manager, said: "We know from calls that some customers are still unsure about the correct information to include in their addresses.

"The roadshow will provide people with an opportunity to talk to us about the changes and clarify their own addresses and postcode."

The change from L for Liverpool to CH for Chester was exclusively forecast in the Globe and prompted a bumper postbag of complaining letters from readers to the editor upset by the proposed changes.

Royal Mail then wrote to everyone affected by the changes in April, informing them of their new postcode and, where appropriate, their new post town.

"What we need to make clear to people is that their postal address contains only the information essential for Royal Mail to process and deliver their mail efficiently. Customers may also include a county name or a place name like Oxton or Claughton, in addition to the basic address.

"We do recognise that people feel strongly about local identity, so it is important to explain that they may continue to use local place names if they want to without fear of delaying the mail. In fact, we have written again this week to people living in the Prenton post area to clarify this."

The changes have been brought in because the sorting of Wirral mail will soon transfer from Liverpool to a new, highly-automated mail centre in Chester.

Sorting machines have been programmed to read both the new and old postcodes for at least 12 months.

This is to give people plenty of time to get used to the new addresses and to use up stocks of old stationery, says Mr Davies.

However, Wirral Council is expected to ignore the controversial change in postcodes by opting for Birkenhead on its mail rather than just Prenton.

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