Tag: UK

Jersey Post Comments on JCRA's Licencing of Class 1 Postal Operators

Posted by | Jun 25, 2008 | |

Jersey Post would like to make the following statement by way of a reaction to the decision by the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA) to issue a draft Licence to Regency Holdings Ltd.

Jersey Post’s Chief Executive, John Pinel, commented: “Jersey Post operates in a competitive market for at least 50% of its services and we fully recognise the benefits efficient and appropriate competition can bring to consumers. Regency have been providing certain types of business mail, and catalogue delivery services in Jersey since 2007, and this Licence formalises that position. Our short listing for the World Mail Awards is evidence of the quality of services that Jersey Post provides to Islanders, and we will be working hard to maintain those standards irrespective of the level and nature of competition. It is obviously essential that Jersey Post does compete effectively in areas such as bulk mail, business mail and e-commerce related services as the revenue it generates there allows it to support “essential” core business services like the Sub-Post Office network, which runs at a considerable loss”.

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GLS signs up MNG as Turkey partner

Posted by | Jun 25, 2008 | |

GLS has improved its coverage of Turkey, including faster transit times, by signing up MNG Kargo as its new network partner for the fast-growing market.

MNG Kargo has been realising nationwide parcel distribution for all GLS companies since May 2008. Beginning in July, it will feed parcels from Turkey into the pan-European GLS network, the Royal Mail parcels subsidiary said.

The Istanbul-based company, with 2,000 vehicles and over 6,000 employees, is the third largest provider on the Turkish CEP market, according to GLS. MNG Kargo has a nationwide network of 26 hubs and over 600 branches, as well as 1,150 mobile service stations covering remote regions.

In addition, it is the only company in Turkey that has eight of its own freight planes to handle parcel and express distribution. By combining air and road transports, MNG Kargo realises deliveries for standard parcels within 24 hours for distances of up to 1,000 kilometres. Deliveries to more distant national destinations take 48 hours.

Within the framework of the new partnership, regular delivery time for parcels departing from GLS’ European hub in Neuenstein (Germany) to Turkey was reduced by one day. GLS parcels shipped from the GLS European hub are now en route for two to three days. Shipments that arrive at the hub on the evening of the first day from different European countries are shipped via airplane to Istanbul the next morning. Customs clearance usually takes place that same afternoon; delivery commences the following day.

Like all network partners, MNG Kargo is linked to the GLS pan-European IT system. Since the individual code of each parcel is scanned at each interface in Turkey, seamless Tracking & Tracing is guaranteed.

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EU's McCreevy urges rapid implementation of postal directive

Posted by | Jun 24, 2008 | |

European Union internal market commissioner Charle McCreevy has called for the rapid implementation of the European Commission’s postal directive into national legislation.

Speaking at a conference on postal market reform, he said member states’ complacency about the transposition period of the directive will only lead to delay.

The commissioner said the directive’s transposition will be a ‘test’ for member states and the commission as to whether postal reform is taken seriously.

The EU executive’s postal services directive, which liberalises the letter mail market, aims at opening up the European market in 2011. New member states have until 2013 to implement the legislation.

McCreevy said a level playing field was a ‘pre-condition’ for a true internal market of postal services, yet there are different interpretations over its definition.

‘In the worst-case scenario, the transposition period is used to invent creative market entry barriers. Barriers that are then concealed under a blanket which is inappropriately called a level playing field. Paying lip service to free markets and introducing protectionism through the back door is not acceptable,’ he said.

The commissioner stressed the smooth transition to a level playing field will require strong national postal regulatory authorities.

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Ambulance service loses details of nearly million people

Posted by | Jun 23, 2008 | |

A computer disk containing details of nearly a million people who dialled 999 has been lost, an ambulance service has admitted.

The information was supposed to be couriered by TNT from Scotland to Manchester two weeks ago, but never arrived at its destination and a search has failed to find it since.

The disk contained records of 894,629 calls to the Paisley Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre (EMDC), near Glasgow, spanning from February 2006.

It included the names of some patients, addresses of incidents, contact phone numbers and some medical details.

TNT lost the disk on June 9 while it was being transferred to MIS Emergency Services, a Manchester-based company that supplies the IT system used in the service’s three emergency medical dispatch centres.

The information contained on the disk was to be used in the development of the service’s command and control systems.

The loss is the latest in a series of data losses from government or local authorities. Last year, Chancellor Alistair Darling admitted to MPs that disks holding personal information on 25 million people and 7.2 million families had gone missing, included names, addresses, dates of birth, Child Benefit numbers, National Insurance numbers and bank or building society account details.

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Royal Mail 'burdened by over regulation' (UK)

Posted by | Jun 23, 2008 | |

Speaking on Jeff Randall Live, Adam Crozier said he would welcome tougher competition, but he called for less control – saying the current system is untenable.

He added: “The way the market is regulated has to change. The way the market is being regulated is not benefiting customers.”

Talking about the challenges facing the Royal Mail, he said: “We still face some huge risks.

“We have a declining market because people change the way they communicate and we have a huge pension deficit.”

Earlier this year an independent review into Royal Mail described its business model as unsustainable.

Adam Crozier maintained his commitment to running a commercial business with a social heart.

He said the universal service – the one price goes anywhere service – remained a key part of the Royal Mail.

“It remains the backbone of all the economic and social cohesion of the country. If that doesn’t work the whole thing falls about,” he stressed.

But he warned that the universal service was losing money and the current regulation system was not working and had to be changed.

There could also be more job cuts for Royal Mail staff.

In the last few years, 50,000 staff have been laid off and Crozier said there would be more substantial cuts as machines replace people.

“It’s all designed to improve the quality of service for our customers – both social and business.”

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