Tag: Mail Services

Consultation starts on changes to post office network – Post Office Ltd announces plans for Central Wales

Posted by | Mar 11, 2008 | |

Post Office Ltd today opened a six-week local public consultation on its Area Plan for the Central Wales area. In line with the criteria and factors set by the UK Government in its Response Document, the Area Plan proposes future provision of Post Office services through a network of 153 Post Office® branches across the Central Wales area, including establishing 24 new innovative Outreach service points, but to close 13 existing branches.

Under the proposals, more than 98.8% of the area’s population will either see no change, or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

The detailed Area Plan proposal for Central Wales area is now available from Post Office Ltd at: www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange.

Post Office Ltd is now seeking views on the proposed future service provision in the area, in particular views on access to Post Office services, the accessibility of alternative branches to those proposed for closure.

The local public consultation on the Area Plan Proposal for Central Wales will commence on 11th March 2008.

The local public consultation usually lasts for a period of six weeks, however Post Office Ltd will be suspending consultation activity, including participating in public meetings, and will not announce any final decisions regarding closures or replacement Outreach services, from 10 April 2008 until 2 May 2008. This coincides with the run up to the local elections taking place in England and Wales and is in line with the usual guidelines regarding such elections.

The closing date for feedback in respect of the local public consultation is therefore 19th May 2008.

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Four new stamps feature on Northern Ireland miniature sheet

Posted by | Mar 11, 2008 | |

St Patrick is in the spotlight on a new Miniature Sheet issued by Royal Mail celebrating the history and traditions of Northern Ireland.

The Celebrating Northern Ireland Miniature Sheet, issued today (11 March), will be the latest destination in Royal Mail’s Four Countries of the UK series.

Celebrating Northern Ireland is the third in the series, which are issued on or before the Saint’s Day of each country. The grand tour of the UK began in Scotland on St Andrew’s Day 2006 and continued with England in 2007.

Celebrating Northern Ireland features two standard 1st Class stamps and two 78p long-format stamps. Carrickfergus Castle, the first of the two 1st Class stamps, is positioned on the top left of the sheet, next to artist Clare Melinsky’s stunning illustration of St Patrick on a 78p long-format stamp.

Just below them, to the left sits Belfast’s Queen’s Bridge and the Thanksgiving Beacon 78p stamp while the sheet is completed by the other 1st Class stamp – the Giant’s Causeway stamp.

Fittingly, St Patrick is also the focus of the Presentation Pack which takes an in-depth look at his legend and history. The pack is written by Esther Kennedy.

Interestingly, unlike its two predecessors in the series, The Celebrating Northern Ireland Miniature Sheet is printed in litho rather than in gravure.

Julietta Edgar, Head of Special Stamps, Royal Mail said: “St. Patrick’s day is enjoyed by so many people around the world that we are delighted to announce these special stamps, which people can use when sending cards to friends and family in celebration of this famous annual event.”

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Itella tests automated parcel terminal also in Estonia

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Itella is the first in Estonia to test an automated parcel terminal, which offers a new way for consumers to pick up their parcels. The three-month pilot project will be launched in co-operation with Hobby Hall on 10 March in Tallinn’s Rimi shopping centre.

‘Itella Logistics operates in eight countries. Until now, the national postal operator of the destination country has been the primary party in charge of delivering Itella’s parcels to consumers outside Finland. The automated parcel terminal pilot is the first step for us toward delivering parcels to consumers through our own network even outside Finland. We will test the functionality of the automated parcel terminal concept in Estonia in the same way as in the pilot project in Itäkeskus, Helsinki, announced a week ago. It has received very positive feedback,’ explains Aku Happo, the director of Itella’s Express and Parcel Business.

At the same time, Itella will launch delivery of parcels in Estonia through R-kiosks – within a month, co-operation will commence with three indoor R-kiosks in Tallinn.

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Post-Switch Urges Bulk Mailers to Consider Alternatives to Royal Mail

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

Independent postal broking agency, Post-Switch is urging high volume mailers to reduce postage costs by switching from Royal Mail before it puts up its prices.

On April 2nd 2007, Royal Mail raised first class postage by 2p and second class by 1p and its commercial service ‘MailSort’ increased tariff prices by 1 pct – 3.8 pct. As part of its pricing agreement up to 2010, Royal Mail is proposing a further price hike in April 2008 of 6p.

Post-Switch is an impartial postal broker, providing expert advice on matching direct mail to the most suitable supplier at the optimum tariff. Set up in 2006, Post-Switch is part of integrated communications group, Kingfisher. It understands where savings can be made on postage and will negotiate with up to 20 rival postal providers including DHL, UPS, and TNT to achieve the best price and the best delivery date.

Post-Switch already handles over one million items of mail each month and is working with high volume mailers like Marie Curie Cancer Care and NSPCC as well as commercial operator, Network Rail. The service offered by Post-Switch delivers direct mail campaigns in 48 hours and can secure savings of up to 22.5 pct against MailSort charges.

To incentivise companies to switch from Royal Mail to another provider, Post-Switch is offering those who sign up before 2nd April a postal price freeze until the end of 2007. This means that mailings will only cost the same unit rate for the rest of the year. So, if the rival operators to Royal Mail also raise their prices, Post-Switch clients will not be affected by the increase.

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Expansion of postal network in India

Posted by | Mar 10, 2008 | |

The Franchisee Scheme which entails setting up of Franchisee Outlets of postal network is already in existence. The Franchisee Scheme was launched in February 2007 in select urban areas for providing increased access to postal counter services in areas where opening of a Post Office was not possible as per prescribed norms. The scheme has now been extended to cover areas of new upcoming urban townships, special economic zones, major highway projects, upcoming new industrial centres, colleges, etc. The opening of Franchisee Outlets is in addition to opening of Post Offices wherever justified.

Unemployed youth are not debarred from working as Franchisees of the Department. The applicant in this regard should fulfill the criteria for selection, such as minimum age requirement, educational qualification, etc. Criteria for selection of Franchisees are in view of the need to select persons with capacity to manage and market a range of products, along with a sense of the community needs and public aspects of the job and willingness to accept technological options. The preference is given to postal pensioners and those able to provide computers.

More can be also found online at http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36147

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