What lies beneath: even in lockdown Glasgow there is vital work for professional couriers

DAY 4  Finds our Covid Courier travelling deserted roads to support the NHS and other businesses

Eagle Couriers in Scotland is the country’s biggest independent courier firm. With depots in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Bathgate

BY ALYSON McKELL

JUDGING by the deserted roads, Glasgow is a ghost town.

Today I had a job which involved a journey along the M8 from the city centre to Queenslie. During that trip I saw three other cars on the road. Unheard of, until now.

Of course, scratch beneath the surface and life still goes on. As ever Eagle Couriers’ work with the NHS in Greater Glasgow and Clyde keeps me very busy. It’s a privilege to play even a small role in what the NHS staff are doing.

However, my working day did not start with the NHS – instead it began with DX Mail. That is the dedicated mail delivery network used by legal firms across Scotland to guarantee delivery of important documents between firms to make sure deals and transactions actually go ahead.

For me that involves collecting paperwork and documentation from the DX Mail hub in George Square and delivering it to various legal firms. Again, the streets were all but deserted.

Next up was further work for legal firms – this time collecting their post from a Royal Mail sorting office. Each of the firms has a small number of nominated staff who take it in turns to receive the deliveries and process the mail from there.

Then it was on to the deserted M8 motorway for that trip I mentioned at the beginning. In fact it was a journey to the depot of a UK-wide overnight delivery network.

After that I make a trip to Kirkintilloch to pick up a package to be transferred to the Eagle Couriers depot in Glasgow, where it will then be dispatched on the next leg of its journey. During that particular run, I also make a scheduled stop of at the biochemistry labs a at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Further NHS work keeps me gainfully occupied. That includes a stop off at the Marie Curie Hospice at Stobhill Hospital to make a collection which is then delivered to the pharmacy at the Royal Infirmary.

My next trips is to Sauchiehall street to pick up samples from Sandyford, the specialist sexual health service for Greater Glasgow and Clyde. That takes me back to the GRI, where the samples are safely deposited with the biochemistry and virology departments.

With the busy spell behind me, it’s time to stop for lunch.

However, I’m soon back out on the road, this time to pick up a parcel from the offices of the gas networks giant SGN. That parcel is destined for Durham, but my involvement is simply to get it to the Glasgow depot of Eagle Couriers.

Eagle Couriers in Scotland workd with the NHS including the Marie Curie hospice in Glasgow

Afterwards I make another trip to the Marie Curie Hospice at Stobhill to pick up more packages destined for the pharmacy and the labs at the Royal Infirmary. It’s a return journey as I also collected various items from the hospital stores and the pharmacy which go back to the Marie Curie.

Even at this time in the afternoon the roads are extremely quiet, but again I notice there seems to be an increased police presence.

My working day finishes by dropping off a number of overnight deliveries to our base in Glasgow, where they will be processed and dispatched on the next leg of their journey.

Then it is home, to get ready for tomorrow’s adventures.