Mail review not threat to north remote areas

POSTCOMM denied last night a proposed consultation exercise on deliveries in geographically remote areas will ease pressure on the Royal Mail to maintain deliveries across the North.

A spokesman confirmed the intention is to seek as wide a reaction as possible to a review of existing exemptions from the requirement for daily collections and deliveries under the Universal Obligation.

He spoke out following the release of a list of existing exemptions, such as deliveries to 60 homes in the Scoraig Peninsula in Loch Broom, via the community boat which only sails on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Other exemptions include: Melvaig Lighthouse, one day-per-week in winter on Fair Isle, "very infrequent" to three homes on the Isle of Soay, and once a month "by fishing boat" to a single family on Auskerry in Orkney.

In one case ­ Gairsay in Orkney ­ the single family living on the island are paid £6 a week to make two collections of their own mail from the mainland.

Postcomm insisted there was no intention to increase the exemptions and it was possible they would be reduced if local circumstances had changed or customers opted for a change.

But in the Commons MPs voiced widespread concern about what they see as a threat to universal collection and deliveries when Royal Mail owners Consignia face competition in prosperous populous areas from delivery services which are not obliged by law to deliver everywhere.

Orkney and Shetland Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael intervened in a debate on Post Office Closures to pour scorn on Postcomm assurances that big customers like the Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclaycard and Mastercharge would themselves ensure universal deliveries continue.

He said: "The regulator has shown that they are following an agenda which will be to the detriment of communities such as those which I represent."

Angus SNP MP Mike Weir said rural post offices were continuing to close, though at a slower rate, sending "alarming messages" to rural areas in Scotland where the number of closures was highest.

He also warned that universal deliveries must be under threat if Consignia had to compete with companies that did not have an obligation to do the same.

He claimed there was a danger of a return to the days before the One Penny Post when the recipient had to pay to get his mail delivered and if he could not afford it, he did not get any.

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy, whose motion instigated the debate, highlighted the need for urgent Government action to prevent the potentially disastrous collapse of rural and urban post office networks.

The Ross, Skye and Inverness West MP said: "The impact a post office closure has on the community it serves is considerable.

"I have been involved with many campaigns to save post offices and in every case the passion and determination of local people to protect this vital part of the community has eloquently demonstrated that the local post office plays a pivotal role for them.

For the Government, Competition Minister Douglas Alexander said the local post office was still important to many people, but customers were not using them as often as they used to and there had been a steady decline in transactions.

He said there might be mergers or relocation of Post Office branches but this would affect only urban or suburban areas where there were high numbers of post offices and duplication of services.

He said the Government wanted a reliable universal service, faster more reliable mail deliveries, a strong network of modern post offices and an effective partnership between management and the unions.

"Standing still, as some would suggest, is simply not an option," he said.

The Government was committed to ensuring the rural post office network was retained because often it was the only remaining shop in a community.