DASHCAM FOOTAGE shows the moment a Royal Mail driver dubbed ‘Postman Pratt’ runs a red light and inadvertently loses mail through open door of his van.
The 30-second clip was captured on Saturday (17th October) morning at 7.14am on Factory Road, close to the Croydon sorting office in South London.
Driving instructor Nurudeen Ali and his pupil Idiris, were carrying out a mock driving test in preparation for his real one this week.
As the clip begins Idiris is driving towards temporary traffic lights.
The green light was on, and had been for at least 12 seconds by the time he reached them, and as he began to drive onto the opposite side of the road a speeding Royal Mail van came into view.
Nurudeen immediately instructed his pupil to stop. As the vehicle drove past he could see a rear door was open, and at that moment a letter blew out the back of the van and landed on the pavement.
The blunder went unnoticed by the postie as he disappeared into the distance and turned right onto Thomson Crescent.
So that is another letter lost in the post, however you wouldn’t expect your private mail, containing potentially confidential information to be lying on a pavement for any Tom, Dick or Harry to pick up and read.
Loss of items is the most common complaint made by customers, and accounts for 28% of all complaints received in 2018/19.
Total complaints relating to loss were 310,159 of which 232,252 were upheld resulting in compensation pay-outs totalling £5.5 million.
Nurudeen shared the clip on his AliS your Local Driving Instructor Facebook page.
Paul Clarke commented: “Postman Pratt”
While Al Shore wrote: “Probably Stolen”
Idiris, 18, passed his driving test at Mitcham Test Centre on Tuesday with only two minors.
A Royal Mail Spokesperson said: “We are grateful for the video being shared with us; we will carefully review the footage.
“All items of mail are important to Royal Mail.
“We expect the highest standards of behaviour of all our colleagues at all times.
“Our postmen and postwomen are dedicated to delivering the UK’s mail safely and efficiently.
“We will be reminding employees of the correct procedures while driving company vehicles to continue to provide a first class service.”
Earlier this month the service came under fire after residents in Crystal Palace complained about not receiving vital mail such as bank cards, hospital appointments and birthday cards for several weeks.
One woman also reported a trolley unattended with rain soaked letters on Maberley Road – which is on the border of Croydon and Bromley.
