Tag: Royal Mail

Smaller businesses are concerned that changes to the Royal Mail’s postage rates this month will increase costs and mean more administration.
A survey by the Forum for Private Business, which represents about 25,000 small and medium-sized UK firms, has revealed that more than a quarter of the companies questioned believe their postage costs will rise by 15 per cent or more.
More than 60 per cent of companies think that not only will their costs increase but that they will have to spend longer on administration after the new size-related system is implemented on August 21.

The “pricing in proportion” scheme is the first significant move in Royal Mail’s strategy to become a competitive business after the industry was opened to competition at the beginning of this year.

The change to the post office’s pricing is costing Royal Mail more than pounds 20m, including pounds 10m spent on a marketing campaign.

Welsh towns and cities are proving attractive to both established companies and new start ups according to Royal Mail’s latest Business Barometer out today.

The Business Barometer*, a detailed analysis of active business growth within the UK, reveals that both Swansea and Newport moved into the top 10 UK towns and cities with the highest business population growth.

In Royal Mail’s business league for October 2005 – March 2006, Swansea jumped 13 places from its ranking in April – September 2005 to take second place with an impressive 4.11% increase. In the previous study, Swansea’s business population growth was 2.23%.

And Newport climbed 44 places to ninth spot with a 2.85% business growth compared with 1.74% previously.

The Royal Mail study also revealed that the Top 100 towns ranked by active business population show an average 2.96% business growth, an increase of 55% on the period April 2005- September 2005, which recorded an average rise of 1.78%.

Stockton-on-Tees in Cleveland topped the latest league table with 4.45% business growth while Liverpool secured third spot with 4.09%.

Households across Scotland are to be sent information about Royal Mail’s new pricing policy, which will come into effect later this month.

The leaflets explaining the scheme, which will take into account the size and thickness of mail as well as its weight, will be sent over the next fortnight.

Royal Mail is also spending GBP10million publicising the changes which will mean 85% of mail will be cheaper or will cost the same. The changes, which will come in on August 21, will also benefit business. For more information visit a post office branch, call 08456 113113 or log on to www.royalmail.com/size

The Royal Mail has saddled itself with a bill for pounds 3m by buying 5,000 new bikes for postmen and women.

The British-built Pashley Mailstar models will replace older bikes in the postal organisation’s 33,000-strong fleet.

The Communication Workers Union welcomed the move and claimed it had persuaded the company to end an “embargo” on replacing bikes.