Phillip is left stranded by delay in post

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Thursday 3rd Mar 2005.

A self-employed gardener claims he is being stopped from going to work because delays in the post have meant he cannot tax his van.

Phillip Cawthraw, 43, of Cottingley, is demanding answers from Royal Mail after three log books sent out to him by DVLA failed to arrive at his home.

The delay has meant he cannot tax his vehicle and is unable to attend jobs.

He said: "I need a new logbook because I gave mine to the DVLA when I got a personal number plate done.

"I phoned the DVLA more than two weeks ago because I knew it was getting towards the end of the month and I needed my new logbook back to tax my vehicle and they told me they had sent it out two weeks earlier first class.

"I waited until last Friday and it had still not arrived so I asked them to send another one. That had not arrived by Tuesday so I have ordered another one. I am waiting for three logbooks to arrive but now my tax has expired so I cannot use my vehicle.

"It is only when you are in business yourself that you realise how bad the post is."

Mr Cawthraw also claims he is waiting for £4,000 of cheques from customers who have told him they have been posted.

He has run his own firm, PLG Aquatics, installing and managing ponds and water features for ten years.

The company name PLG stands for `Phil's loony gamble' and this year he decided to have a personalised number plate P33 PLG put on his vehicle.

However the decision backfired last month when he failed to receive his log book for the new number plate.

Now he says he is being forced to cancel jobs because he cannot use his vehicle. He said: "I don't want to have to hire a van because that would mean spending money on something which I don't see as my problem."

A Royal Mail spokesman said Mr Cawthraw's complaint would be investigated.

He said: "Obviously we are sorry to hear that he has experienced problems with mail and is unhappy with the service he has received from the Royal Mail but he has done the right thing by registering his concern with our customer service department who will fully investigate his complaint and get back to him with a response."

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