Tag: Royal Mail

Sorting the UK post office network

Posted by | Dec 14, 2006 | |

The closure of any post office is a loss to the customers and community involved. But Postwatch recognises that the current situation of increasing financial losses and fewer transactions cannot continue.

To let the current drip-drip of unplanned closures continue would be irresponsible and would undoubtedly lead to some areas losing access to post office services. The government’s consultation on future funding and structural arrangements for the post office network is the first step in putting in place a strategic plan.

For over a year, Postwatch has been urging the government to propose a sustainable way of meeting customers’ post office needs. In response to the consultation, Millie Banerjee, Chair of Postwatch, said: “Today’s announcement and consultation are the first steps in providing a clear view on how the post office network will look in the future. We have consistently urged the government to provide that clarity and are pleased we now at least have proposals to work on.

“This is not a simple numbers game of how many post office buildings are to close. The focus should be on ensuring customers have access to post office services. Solutions will vary from location to location. But, for example, if a number of expensive-to-run, seldom used post offices can be replaced with a cost-effective mobile service that meets communities’ needs – doesn’t that make sense?

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Second-class report for UK postal services

Posted by | Dec 12, 2006 | |

Postal service provision is “chronically poor” throughout many areas of Britain, the chairman of the public accounts committee (PAC) has said.

Sir Edward Leigh made the critical comments as he attacked postal regulator Postcomm for its limited progress in encouraging competition within the UK postal market.

Publishing its report into the progress of Postcomm since it enforced new regulatory guidelines on the Royal Mail in March, the PAC says that while progress has been made, more is needed.

“You would expect that a new regime for the quality of postal services would aim to improve collection and delivery times and reduce the number of pieces of mail lost by Royal Mail. If so, you would be mistaken,” Sir Edward said.

“Neither of these aspects of performance is targeted under the current regime introduced in April of this year. Given that people are now receiving their mail later in the day and that over 15 million letters and parcels are being lost, stolen or damaged in a year, it is pretty clear that the interests of ordinary users of the post are not an absolute priority.”

Today’s PAC report calls on Postcomm to monitor the activities of Royal Mail more closely and foster a sense of competition within the postal market to encourage the development of more efficient procedures.

Royal Mail vociferously rejected the PAC report’s claims. A spokesperson said: “It is absolute nonsense to suggest anything other than Royal Mail’s quality of service is at record levels. Its performance is among the very best in Europe and its prices are among the very lowest.”

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The Christmas card retains its crown as the most popular festive greeting

Posted by | Dec 12, 2006 | |

The Christmas card still retains its position as the preferred festive greeting despite competition from text and e-mail, research from Royal Mail revealed today.

More than eight in ten people (84 per cent) prefer the personal touch of a Christmas card from friends and family, the study showed. It also revealed 60 per cent of people like to receive a hand written letter as a seasonal greeting while only three in ten people (32 per cent) like to be sent a festive text message.

The figures have been released as Royal Mail reminds customers sending Christmas greetings that its pricing system changed in August.

The research, which was based on the opinions of over 2,000 adults, also reveals the importance of Christmas cards in maintaining a social network, with nearly a third (28 per cent) claiming they will send a Christmas card to people they have not seen for up to a year. And a quarter said they will send a Christmas card to people they have not seen for as long as seven years.

Christmas cards can also reportedly play a role in re-establishing relationships with six out of ten people (63 per cent) saying they are more likely to get in touch with someone who had sent them a Christmas card.

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Post offices could go mobile to survive

Posted by | Dec 11, 2006 | |

Rural post offices could go mobile or relocate to pubs and church halls under plans to preserve the threatened network.

The ideas are being encouraged by the Scottish Executive, as it faces fallout from the likely closure of hundreds of rural post offices.

Whitehall ministers will announce this week that changes to the support for Britain’s loss-making post offices, including the removal of counter services on which they have depended, could see many of them close.

Opposition parties, business and campaign groups yesterday stepped up their demands for ministers not to sanction wholesale closures among the 14,500 offices across the UK.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling will tell MPs this week how much money the government is prepared to give the Royal Mail which will help shape the future size of the network.

Ross Finnie, Scotland’s Rural Development Minister, has been putting the special case for Scotland’s rural post offices, arguing that closures would mean the financial exclusion of many Scots.

Pilots have been tried to make the network more flexible, combining services with other facets of village life, including the village hall, and pub. There has also been the possibility of running mobile post office vans.

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