ROYAL Mail’s sorting office in York will close by the end of next month, with mail processing operations transferred to a new centre near Leeds.

The phased closure of the sorting office in Leeman Road means the loss of 157 jobs to York – although about 60 posts are transferring to Leeds.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said the York Central Delivery Office in Leeman Road was unaffected.

“The change is part of a major transformation and programme to modernise Royal Mail,” she said.

“We need to modernise in response to the decline in volume of mail and to introduce the latest technology to our sorting centre. The expansion of our Leeds site represents a significant investment by Royal Mail in services in North East Yorkshire.

“This move is an important part of our programme to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of our operation by making the best possible use of our buildings, machinery and resources.”