Tag: Royal Mail

Post offices in Parliament to escape Royal Mail axe (UK)

Posted by | Feb 20, 2008 | |

All three post offices in the Houses of Parliament are to escape the mass cull of London branches, the Standard can reveal.

The Royal Mail has provoked outrage after announcing plans to axe 169 post offices in the City.

But it has decided to exempt the offices in the Commons despite them being separated by only a few 100 metres.

Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake said the Royal Mail should look again at its plans.

He said: “What is good for the goose should be good for the gander. I cannot fathom why, when MPs have three post offices within 100 metres of each other, and some people have none within a kilometre of them, the latter were shut.

He added: “It seems as though Members’ Priority Service has won the day again.”

A fifth of the London network will be axed by this summer.

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said the branches in Parliament were crown post offices and were part of the directly-managed national network.

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New location may aid post offices (UK)

Posted by | Feb 20, 2008 | |

Westminster City Council offered the alternative after Tuesday’s announcement that 169 of the capital’s 850 post offices could close.

It said putting post counters in its buildings would preserve services and boost the authority’s income.

A six-week consultation has begun on the Post Office’s plans.

Councillor Tony Devenish said: “Post offices are vital for local communities and, at a time when the Government says it wants councils to enhance community cohesion and improve local services, we have this venerable national institution ripping the heart out of high streets up and down the land.

“I am saddened at the savage cuts announced by the Post Office and believe our proposals can offer a viable alternative.”

The Post Office’s plans are part of a wider move to close up to 2,500 post offices nationwide, which began in October last year.

The government has said mounting debts mean post offices needs to be closed in order to curb losses currently running at GBP 4m a week.

Figures show many post offices are losing large numbers of customers who used to come to the Post Office to claim their benefits but now get payments straight into their bank account.

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Postcomm consults on Royal Mail's request for exemption (UK)

Posted by | Feb 19, 2008 | |

On 23 November 2007, Royal Mail applied for a Direction from Postcomm for exemption from certain aspects of Condition 7 for its Parts Express service. Specifically, Royal Mail requested exemption from the three month pre-notification requirements set out in Condition 7(2) and (3) and therefore by implication the publication requirements of Condition 7(4). In addition, Royal Mail requested exemption from the publication requirements of contracts won through competitive tenders that are set out in Condition 7(5) (b).

On 19 February 2008, Postcomm issued a consultation letter seeking views on Royal Mail’s request for exemption from certain requirements of Condition 7 for the Parts Express services and Postcomm’s initial assessment of this request.

It is important for Postcomm to get the views of stakeholders includnig other licensed postal operators, postal users, Postwatch, trade associations and other interested parties in the postal sector, and we will consider carefully these views in making our decision on Royal Mail’s request.

Notes for editors

The consultation will be open for four weeks and closes on 19 March 2008. Postcomm will then assess the responses received and meet interested parties to discuss the consultation as necessary. A final decision on this application is expected by the end of April 2008.

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Businesses CSR policies overlook the financially excluded (UK)

Posted by | Feb 19, 2008 | |

Post Office research has revealed that despite corporate social responsibility (CSR) becoming a key element of companies’ working practices, many are overlooking millions of customers by failing to offer a cash payment channel.

UK businesses are increasingly taking more responsibility for environmental issues by reducing their carbon footprint, as well as adopting more responsible attitudes to customers and suppliers to encourage sustainable social and economic growth.

But many companies offering basic services such as electricity, telephone, broadband and digital TV, and even gyms and health clubs, however, do not provide cash payment option.

With over 2.8 million UK adults (1.9 million households) without a bank or building society account and dependent on cash payment methods to pay their bills, the financially excluded population is unable to access a range of products and services which are available to those with bank accounts.

For example, among the UK’s top ten best selling domestic broadband providers, none currently offer a cash payment facility. In fact Post Office broadband, which launched last year, is the only broadband provider which offers a cash payment option.

The Post Office provides a range of bill payments services, enabling cash payments for telephone, cable TV, utilities, mail order, council tax, travel and insurance providers, to be made at any UK Post Office® branch. When it comes to making regular payments by cash or cheque the Post Office is the most popular location with over 50 per cent of all household bills paid at the Post Office.

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Post Office Ltd announces plan for London

Posted by | Feb 19, 2008 | |

Post Office Ltd today (February 19) opened a six week local public consultation on its Area Plan for London. In line with the criteria and factors set by the Government in its response document, DTI The Post Office Network, Government Response to Public Consultation May 2007 (www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page36024.html) the Area Plan proposes future provision of Post Office services through a network of 681 branches across the area, resulting in the closure of 169 branches.

Under the proposals more than 7 million London residents will either see no change to their nearest branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

The Government has already undertaken a 12-week national consultation before reaching a decision to reduce the UK wide network of Post Office branches by up to 2,500 from its current level of over 14,000 while continuing to provide funding to support a more sustainable network in the future. The proposals now published support the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government.

Under the area plan proposals 89.4 per cent of the area’s population will see no change in their nearest branch. A further 10.6 per cent live less than one mile by road distance from the nearest alternative branch, with 5.9 per cent within half a mile.

Post Office Ltd has reached these proposals after engaging with and taking input from the independent consumer watchdog on postal services, Postwatch, and from local authorities within the area, and has considered factors relating to geography, the availability of local transport and alternative access to key Post Office services, local demographics and the impact on local economies.

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