A SCHEME to bring Glasgow's mail delivery into the 21st Century is just days away from completion.

By the end of the month, the final delivery centre in the city will have been upgraded to fit with the new challenges faced by modern postal needs.

A total of 34 units have been fitted with new systems to deal with a larger number of parcels.

The final one, in Cumbernauld, will be upgraded within the next few weeks.

For customers, the most obvious change is the new delivery methods postmen and women are now using.

They have been issued with lightweight trolleys to carry heavy parcels instead of the traditional shoulder bags.

There may be some changes to delivery times, with some households receiving mail earlier or later in different cases, but Royal Mail bosses insist they will meet universally agreed guidelines on delivery times which mean they deliver to all addresses in the UK six days a week.

They say postal workers have welcomed the changes which have made their job quicker and easier.But, as reported, some customers expressed concerns about the closure of local delivery offices and initiatives to leave larger items with neighbours if the resident is out.

In September 2012 the Evening Times reported an angry backlash against plans to close Cubie Street in Bridgeton.

Royal Mail boss Gerry McAuley insisted the feedback, in general, had been positive.

Mr McAuley, delivery director for North and West Scotland, said: "The postal market is changing and letter traffic is declining.

"The whole point was to modernise.

"Over the years we have reduced the number of people as part of our efficiency drive but we have never made anybody compulsory redundant.

"Like any business we will always look at different way to improve our services ."

matty.sutton @eveningtimes.co.uk