BB Gloucester PodCast The future of rural mail deliveries

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The future of rural mail deliveries http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02bqc85" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are increasing fears that postal services in rural Gloucestershire could suffer because of competition from private delivery firms.

Royal Mail has an obligation to deliver - at the same price - to all 29 million addresses in the UK, six days a week - while other firms do NOT.

Up until now, Royal Mail has used profitable urban deliveries to subsidise the service to more remote areas - but now, private companies are 'cherry-picking' the lucrative jobs.

In a statement, Royal Mail says its proud to deliver the six-day-a-week, one-price-goes-anywhere Universal Postal Service to all 29 million UK addresses and we are fully committed to the Universal Service Obligation.

Royal Mail has made a formal evidence submission to Ofcom on the threat posed by unfettered direct delivery competition to the sustainability of the universal postal service.

Ofcom has already undertaken to review the market by the end of 2015. We are calling on Ofcom to start its review now and determine quickly the regulatory changes needed to safeguard the universal service."