Tag: UK

Postcomm consults on licence application from LDS Cambridge Limited

Posted by | Feb 25, 2008 | |

Postcomm today began a 30-day consultation on the proposed grant of a postal operator’s licence to LDS Cambridge Limited.
Under the licensing framework that took effect from 1 January 2006, and was amended in January 2008, the licence would:
– allow LDS Cambridge Limited to provide all types of postal service;
– be issued for a rolling ten year period; and
– require the company to comply with copdes of practice on mail integrity (safety and security of the mail) and common operational procedures (designed to ensure the multi-operator market works well in practice).

The consultation notice and proposed licence can be found on the LDS Cambridge Limited consultation page.

Read More

Royal Mail blames Europe for late deliveries

Posted by | Feb 22, 2008 | |

Late postal deliveries affecting many parts of Pembrokeshire look set to be permanent as Royal Mail struggles to find solutions to a new European law which restricts the speed of its carriers.

Royal Mail has had to comply with the new EU road transport directive which introduced lower speed limits for some vehicles.

This means lorries which transport mail down the M4 to Pembrokeshire can only travel at 57mph.

As a direct result, postal workers at sorting offices including Pembroke Dock have been told to clock on an hour later at 6.30am and this has delayed deliveries by an hour Because of Pembrokeshire’s peripherality, the effects of the new transport directive are more apparent here than other areas of the UK.

Royal Mail insisted “customers can be reassured that Royal Mail is working hard to minimise the impact of these changes across the country”.

A spokesman said it would continue to make the last delivery by lunchtime in urban areas and mid-afternoon in rural areas.

But Gordon Barry, secretary of the Narberth Chamber of Trade, said words were of little comfort to businesses which relied on an efficient postal system.

Mr Barry suggested that as the standard of service deteriorates businesses will gravitate further towards the internet.

Mr Barry also questioned why Royal Mail didn’t transport its post by train. For towns with stations and sorting offices such as Narberth, Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock this would be a sensible alternative, he suggested.

However, Royal Mail said this means of transport was abandoned a few years ago.

“A decision was taken at the time to cease the use of trains and instead to maximise the use of our vehicles. By ensuring they are not running with empty or low volumes of mail, we managed to reduce our costs and also our road miles,” said its spokesman.

Read More

Further strike action at Royal Mail could follow (UK)

Posted by | Feb 21, 2008 | |

Royal Mail has announced its intention to follow through on on its proposed changes to Postal Workers pensions which could see further strike action by postal workers.

The controversal move would mean raising the retirement age from 60 to 65 after 2010. The present pension scheme would, under Royal Mail’s proposals, cease from the 1st April 2008. The move is being communicated to its workforce by letter.

The CWU is said to be ‘disappointed’ by the move and made it clear that it was not willing to accept the plan without the agreement of CWU members.

From the 1st April, existing pensions will be changed to a ‘career salary defined benefit scheme’ meaning that workers pension benefits will be calculated on the basis of actual pensionable earnings in each given year. The calculation would also be uprated by inflation, capped at 5%. Employee contribution rates will remain unchanged.

Also from the 1st April, new starters at Royal Mail, will be offered a new, defined contribution scheme based on a tiered employee/employer contribution rate although eligibility to join the scheme will not become effective until the employee has been with Royal Mail for 12 months anyway.

The Postal Executive Committee is to meet on Monday to discuss its next move, the likely outcome of which will be a formal ballot. If CWU members reject the proposal, industrial action could soon follow, plunging Royal Mail into another period of strike action.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest