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The postal strikes have provided an opportunity for Britain's most famous haulier, Eddie Stobart, to take up the slack left by Royal Mail workers downing tools.

However, drivers are telling Commercial Motor that they are running the gauntlet when they  cross picket lines outside depots across the country.

A spokeswoman for chief operating officer William Stobart confirms that it has come to the aid of Royal Mail while the Communication Workers Union remains at loggerheads with the postal company.

More than 43,000 union members in mail centres, delivery units and network logistics drivers are striking against Royal Mail's plans for modernisation.

Stobart drivers say they were asked if they would be prepared to cross picket lines in order to deliver mail, and a procedure must be followed if it becomes unsafe to do so.

One driver says: "They are allowed to ask you nicely not to break a picket line, but if it is safe to go through, you must. If not, we should back off out of the site and ring our planner and they will ring the police."

He adds: "It can be quite nasty, although up to now it has just been a bit of verbal. There have been a few nasty remarks from Royal Mail staff at service stations."

Another Stobart driver tells CM that he turned down the work because he is a union member:

"We have had about 15 units pulling the mail," he adds. "In West Thurrock, when people realised we were doing it, I got two fingers stuck up at me and I'm not even doing the work."

A Stobart spokeswoman says: "We do very little, just bits where we can help and where we can support them."

• Roadtransport.com has created a website for couriers to promote their services to local customers seeking alternatives to The Royal Mail. Visit Postal Options for more details.

Image: Rex Features