Postwatch welcomes select committee report on UK Crown Post Offices
Postwatch, the consumer watchdog for postal services, today welcomed the
Trade and Industry Committee’s report ‘Crown Post Offices’. The report
examines Post Office Ltd’s review of their Crown – or Directly Managed –
post office network.
The Committee’s report raised key concerns, including:
– Disparities in customer service levels between Crown post offices and
franchise post offices, as revealed in MORI research commissioned by
Postwatch and the postal services regulator Postcomm;
– The need for Post Office Ltd to better communicate the reasons for
converting Directly Managed branches to franchise post offices; and
– The need for the Government to pay a fair price for services that Post
Office Ltd undertakes on its behalf.
Commenting on the report, Peter Carr, Chairman of Postwatch, said, “The
Committee has raised a number of important questions for both Post Office
Ltd and the government. We particularly welcome the recommendation that Post
Office Ltd offers its customers a detailed rationale for changes in the
network, and consults in a more transparent manner. Postwatch has already
started negotiations with Post Office Ltd and we will be pressing Post
Office Ltd to take up these key recommendations.
“We also welcome the report’s statement that customer service standards must
be consistently high across the post office network. The MORI research
commissioned by Postwatch and Postcomm highlighted that disparities in
customer service levels between Crown Offices and franchise post offices
exist. This is unacceptable, and Post Office Ltd must address these
shortcomings.”
Notes to Editors
1. The Trade and Industry Committee’s report ‘Crown Post Offices’ was
published on 5th January 2005.
2. Postwatch gave oral evidence to the Committee on the 16th November 2004.
3. Postwatch’s written evidence is available at
http://www.postwatch.co.uk/pdf/pressnews/16.11.04Postwatch_Response_to_TICCr
ownofficesl.pdf
More Information
Please contact:
Robert Forsyth on 020 7259 1364 or 07900 263014
