‘You couldn’t pick a worse time’ - Fastway fallout hits Mayo

Sinéad Syron’s family-run business in Crossmolina, Buckles and Bling, has a busy weekend ahead, with feiseanna in Claremorris and Dublin just days away. 

She is one of the many Fastway couriers customers left in limbo by the company's sudden halt of business operations on Wednesday.

Buckles and Bling specialise in Irish dancing accessories, such as wigs, shoes, and Swarovski crystals. They cater from top to toe for a dancer’s needs.

In anticipation of these feiseanna, she had ordered in over one thousand euros' worth of dancing shoes, which were in a van on the way to her but is now caught up with the other 50,000 parcels in Fastway’s depots.

“I’m not going to have my stuff in time for this weekend. There’s a good chance I’m not going to have all the sizes of shoes for children to try on.”

She is hopeful the stock will eventually arrive, but says, “It’s the when that’s the killer for me.”

Another business, which was also a Fastway customer, told The Mayo News that they were lucky as a dispatch that had gone out from them on Tuesday was returned to them on Wednesday. 

Like many businesses, they are now seeking alternative courier services. They called other providers, who have told him they have been inundated with similar requests. 

“It's really one of the worst times ever that this could happen.”

One such alternative courier service is Paul Kane’s GDP Transport; he has franchises for DPD in Mayo and Connemara. 

On Wednesday morning alone, he had already received over 60 calls from Fastway Courier customers looking for his help.  

“It's really one of the worst times ever that this could happen.”

This is peak time in the logistics industry with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and of course, Christmas very much on the horizon. 

Paul and his team have been preparing for weeks in anticipation of this busy period.

As part of the advance planning, he has gotten extra staff and has already maxed out any additional capacity ahead of Christmas.

Understandably, they will be prioritising existing customers. Where possible, he is going to try and facilitate as many new customers as possible.

“We have existing customers, so we won't be taking on an awful lot more because we're busy enough already. If we take on too much extra, you wouldn't be able to get the business done for your existing customers.”

Lack of support for the industry

Whispers had started last week, but Kane says the closure of Fastway came as a complete shock. 

Echoing frustration from the Irish Road Haulage Association, he feels there has been no support for the industry. 

Even when he is actively trying to increase the number of electric vehicles in his fleet. 

“I have around ten electric vans in my fleet in Mayo alone. I have got zero support. In fact, I've been on to my local politicians to try and get help.”

One area he highlights is the high prices that the ESB are charging to increase the power supply at his premises so he can charge the vehicles. 

“Instead of giving me help, there has been nothing but a constant battle just to try and get it up and running.”

“It just seems to be a constant battle. We want to try to do the right thing, to try to go green and DPD is going green, with something like 40% of their fleet now electric.”

There will be further reporting on this story in Tuesday’s Mayo News