Around 1,500 workers at Birmingham's Mail Centre have won themselves a £26 a week pay rise after turning loss into profit at the Aston complex. All employees at the centre have been awarded the bonus after helping to drive the mail centre into the black, it was revealed today. The cash bonus comes as Royal Mail bosses revealed the Birmingham area had surpassed national targets forfirst classmail,with96.8 per cent of items delivered the next day across the area. Despite a flood of criticism over the new single delivery system, Birmingham Royal Mail area manager Dave Schofield said this was the city's best run of success for around eight years. "In the four years since I came here, the centre had been losing money. Last year it broke even and now, this year, it has gone into profit," he said. "The people here have risen to the challenge of delivering a much better performance. "The centre is making a profit with a greater volume of letters, we have gone from over spending to underspending. It's a real success story." Mr Schofield revealed that all centre staff had qualified for a £26 a week bonus in the wake of the improved performance. "I think we have restored some pride back into the place. Wearemovingmore mail with less people and getting the best quality we have ever had," he added. "This centre is starting to prove commercially that we can compete. "But there is no point in being complacent. We have got to continue to do this for 12 months and then for 24 months." Mr Schofield added: "I think the new single delivery system has been a massive upheaval for people but we have really made a concerted effort. "It is a fantastic achievement to get these results. "This is good news for us but bad news for our competitors." Birmingham Royal Mail achieved its best figures for years in the first week of October on first class mail delivery within the post-code area which saw 96.8 percent ofdeliverieshitthe next day target. Waiting longer for the letterbox to open WE took to the streets of Birmingham to find out what you thought about the efficiency of your postal deliveries. John Whitmore, aged 68, from Ward End, isn't happy at all. He said: "We used to get it delivered at about nine o'clock but now we get it at two in the afternoon." But Simone Morgan, aged 38, of Hodge Hill, said: "Nothing's changed really, I'm fairly happy with it." Roy Keane has noticed no problems either. "The majority of the time it arrives between 8.30 and 9 o'clock. I've not had any problems," said the 64-year-old, from Stetchford. Nak Hussain, aged 34, from Alum Rock, said: "I'm waiting to hear from my bank actually, they posted me a letter last week but I still haven't received it. And when you get a parcel delivered these days they just seem to do a little tap on the door and run off." Tina Crathorne, aged 34, from Kingshurst, said: "I still get the post so I can't moan. I've had a couple of deliveries after 11am." | 
