Author: Archive

Postal watchdog angers UK Royal Mail boss with split suggestion

Posted by | Jan 9, 2005 | |

Britain’s postal watchdog is pressing for the carve-up of Royal Mail to encourage fresh competition into the market. Under Postwatch’s proposals, Royal Mail would be divided into two companies, with separate chief executives. The consumer watchdog has taken its cue from the gas industry, which has seen the creation of separate businesses owning pipes and billing customers. Under its plans for Royal Mail, Postwatch would like to see the state- owned company’s marketing operations split from the pipeline business, which includes sorting and delivery. It argues that splitting Royal Mail in two would ensure that the fee rivals pay Royal Mail to access its sorting and delivery services would exclude marketing costs. “This is not an anti-Royal Mail move, it is pro-competition,” a Postwatch spokesman said. “We have got to get transparency at Royal Mail, to know that there is no cross-subsidy between the businesses.” The watchdog’s proposals are set to increase tensions between the Royal Mail chairman, Allan Leighton, and the Postwatch chairman, Peter Carr.

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Vat plan may add 5p to cost of stamps

Posted by | Jan 9, 2005 | |

Postal regulators are calling on the government to levy Vat on stamps that could add 5p to the cost of sending a first-class letter. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that Postcomm is in “negotiations” with the Treasury and the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). The regulator believes the special exemption from Vat for Royal Mail stamps will have to be scrapped when the postal market is opened up to full competition next year. A reduced rate of 5% has been proposed but the European Commission may insist the full rate of 17.5% is levied, according to the papers. The exemption is not available to other mail companies hoping to enter the market so would prevent a level playing field. The EC is understood to be pressuring the government on behalf of European companies that are planning to start collecting and delivering British mail from 2006.

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NTMA wants cut in 40m An Post bill for bonds and savings certs services

Posted by | Jan 8, 2005 | |

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) is seeking a 20pc cut in its 40m-a-year payments to An Post for handling savings certificates, bonds and regular deposits. The NTMA is responsible for managing the funds raised through these products on behalf of the Government, but An Post markets them and sells them in post offices. It charges its fellow State agency 2.75pc of the value of the transactions. This is more than the certificates and bonds pay in interest to savers, and many times the 0.1pc which ordinary depositors in An Post savings receive. It also compares with the 0.5pc charged by the international managers of the national pension fund. NTMA officials believe the fees are too high and are seeking an 8m reduction. A spokesman for An Post would say only that the matter was under discussion. An Post is likely to argue that there is considerable work involved in handling retail products such as these, where amounts are often small, and that the charges are justified.

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Deutsche Post renames foreign mail service

Posted by | Jan 7, 2005 | |

The international letter services of Deutsche Post, the German postal service operator, will now also undergo a change of name in Europe, from Deutsche Post Global Mail to DHL Global Mail. Through the name change for its global activities, the group aims to increas the significance of DHL further as its international brand. Domestic and international letter services in Germany will continue to be operated under the name of Deutsche Post.

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UK, Netherlands to Discuss Japan Post Reform

Posted by | Jan 7, 2005 | |

Postal services privatization minister Heizo Takenaka said Friday he will visit Britain and the Netherlands from Sunday to hold talks with postal officials in the two European countries where postal services have been privatized. “In major European countries, the postal privatization process is going on, spurring competition,” Takenaka told a press conference after a Cabinet meeting. “I will meet with government leaders there and exchange opinions.” In Britain, the minister is scheduled to meet with Nigel Stapleton, chairman of Britain’s Postal Service Commission which is the independent regulator for postal services in the country. In the Netherlands, he will talk with Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Laurens Brinkhorst and Peter Bakker, chief executive officer of TPG N.V.

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2005 – industry’s; hopes and fears.(motor operators)

Posted by | Jan 6, 2005 | |

The Working Time Directive looms large for UK operators; driver ability, messy regulations and greedy parking authorities also cause concern in our straw poll.

Andrew Spencer, MD of pallet network UPN, says: “When the Working Time Directive is in place in March, I think we will see a last-minute scramble of companies wanting to join networks. “I think the market has reached its optimum and we won’t see any huge growth. Prices need to harden – the rate-cutting in the sector is ridiculous. “Our main priority next year is to improve our portfolio of services for members by introducing barcode scanning, PoD scanning and central billing. “In 2005, London will be the area to watch, with the big boys beginning to flex their muscles down there,” Spencer says.

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UK Post Office names branches to be closed

Posted by | Jan 6, 2005 | |

The Post Office yesterday caved in to demands that it release details of its sub-post office closure programme and the whereabouts of local offices scheduled to close. The state enterprise finally acceded to a request from the Guardian for the list of offices due for closure by the end of March, rather than face being forced to disclose its plans under new freedom of information rules. Almost 2,500 offices have been singled out as part of a widespread cost-cutting plan. More than 2,000 have already been closed, and the remainder are due to go over the next two months. The Post Office said for the first time yesterday that 396 were threatened with closure and admitted that, notwithstanding last minute appeals, almost all would shut their doors in the coming weeks.

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Polish Post planning zl.1 billion in investments

Posted by | Jan 6, 2005 | |

Polish Post (PP) will construct four logistics and sorting centers in 2005, which will be added to the existing two centers operating in Warsaw and Poznañ.
“The investments will consume zl.1 billion,” said Andrzej Pacholski, operating director of postal operations at PP. In order to further boost its competitiveness the company will also offer financial services later this year. “By the end of January we will choose three to four investment funds which will get exclusive cooperation rights for a definite period of time,” said Mariusz Wnuk, director of financial and market services at PP.

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