Tag: UK

Postmen told to ditch bikes for trolleys (UK)

Posted by | Jun 16, 2008 | |

Postmen have been told to use trolleys instead of using their bikes, so their shoulders are not injured carrying heavy mail bags.

The move, which has been introduced in Lancashire, comes after one depot took delivery of 60 new bicycles.

All delivery offices in the county are taking part in the trial, which aims to reduce shoulder strain by replacing the bike with “high-capacity” trolleys, which can carry more mail.

But the move has not gone down well with all postmen and women.

One worker from the Leyland depot, where trolleys are currently being favoured over bikes, said: “We are absolutely baffled. They tell us it is health and safety because of the big bags we have on our shoulders but the bikes have saddle bags, so that makes no sense either.

“Can you imagine having to walk miles away from the office, all the time getting further and further away and then having to come back? They are going to be knackered.”

He said postmen and women on the routes chosen for the trial had been told they had “no option” other than to use the trolleys, despite Royal Mail having bought 60 new bikes last year.

The Royal Mail spokesman insisted that “the majority of staff” still had the option of using bicycles on their deliveries.

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Post offices may be reopened under council subsidy plan (UK)

Posted by | Jun 15, 2008 | |

An agreement between the Post Office, the Government and local councils means that, in theory, every one of the 2,500 branches earmarked for closure under a cost-cutting plan could be saved.
Ministers ordered cuts to the network to reduce its GBP 150 million-a-year subsidy. However, councils have been looking for ways to avoid closures in the face of a growing public backlash.
The first post offices to be reprieved are in Essex, where the county council is expected to announce in the next 10 days that it has saved at least 15 of 31 branches closed this year.

The council has set aside up to GBP 1.5 million for the scheme. Some post offices will be reopened on the same premises, while pubs, cricket clubs, libraries and shops will become home to a post office in other cases.
The pilot has attracted interest from councils, with 100 local authorities contacting the Post Office. Half of those are already in talks to follow suit.
However, Alan Cook, the managing director of the Post Office, said the obstacles had been overcome. “We have got to the point where we have established a model that will work for local authority funding,” he said.
The news was welcomed by the postal watchdog. Howard Webber, the chief executive of Postwatch, said: “I feel qualified joy that there could be any extra post offices which offer more services to customers, providing it does not have a damaging impact on the post offices that are remaining in the network.”
Last year, the Government ordered Royal Mail, which owns the Post Office, to close 2,500 branches. By the middle of last week, 764 branches had been shut and 41 saved.
Earlier this month, post office managers told a Commons committee that a further 4,000 branches could be closed.

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Internal Market: Commissioner McCreevy to host high-level conference on postal market reform

Posted by | Jun 13, 2008 | |

On 24 June 2008 Internal Market and Services Commissioner McCreevy will host a high-level conference on postal market reform: “The EU Internal Market for Postal Services – creating it together”. The conference will mark the start of the final and decisive phase of EU postal market reform and is the Commission’s immediate follow-up on the adoption of the new Postal Directive 2008/6/EC earlier this year.
After gradual market opening in recent years, remaining legal monopolies on postal markets are set to be abolished by 31 December 2010. The vision of sustainable and open postal markets with high-quality postal services that contribute effectively to growth, employment and competitiveness can now become a reality. Commissioner McCreevy will deliver a strong message at the conference that creating a sustainable postal internal market is a joint responsibility and that it takes more than the abolishing of the legal monopolies to meet this target. Key-note speakers at the conference include Competition Commissioner Kroes, MEP Ferber, Portuguese Minister Lino and Greek Minister Hatzidakis. All relevant players in the postal sector reaching from Member States to operators will be represented at high level.

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CEP carriers hike surcharges as fuel costs soar

Posted by | Jun 13, 2008 | |

Leading international express and parcel carriers are increasing their air and road fuel surcharges dramatically to the 20pct – 30pct range as soaring oil prices drive up operating costs and provoke transport industry protests across Europe and around the world.
Global integrators DHL, FedEx, UPS and TNT, European road-based parcel carrier GLS, and other express and parcel carriers around the world have all raised surcharges significantly this month to try to pass on higher fuel costs to their customers. The highest surcharges are generally in the USA, followed by Asia and then Europe.
The hikes come amid dramatic protests in Europe and other world regions by trucking companies angry about the impact of higher fuel prices. This week has seen strikes, blockades and other protests by tens of thousands of hauliers in Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and other European countries. Two drivers were even killed in separate incidents in Spain and Portugal. In Asia, there have been demonstrations by truckers in South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, India and other countries.
In the express and parcels industry, which is doubly impacted by higher operating costs for jet fuel and truck diesel, leading players have been gradually raising their surcharges over the last few months in line with various published jet fuel price indices. These surcharges have jumped significantly in June due to the surge in oil prices.

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Royal Mail Chairman launches new charity partnership (UK)

Posted by | Jun 13, 2008 | |

Royal Mail Group Chairman Allan Leighton officially launched a new corporate partnership with the children and young people’s charity Barnardo’s at the Chairman’s Awards for Excellence. The annual awards celebrate the achievements of Royal Mail Group people who make a positive contribution to their local community or workplace.

Royal Mail Group’s new charity partner was chosen following a business-wide ballot of employees as the successful three-year partnership with Help the Hospices ended in March this year.

Royal Mail Group itself will provide grants to top up funds raised by its employees and Chairman Allan Leighton made the first donation to Barnardo’s Chief Executive Martin Narey at the Awards for Excellence. All of the money raised by Royal Mail Group will be distributed to the 394 Barnardo’s local community based projects which help 115,000 children and young people.

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