Royal Mail 'providing second rate service

[Geezer]

Royal Mail 'providing second rate service to recipients of post while senders get better deal'

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By Becky Barrow
Last updated at 1:19 AM on 21st January 2009



Customers who find ‘the dreaded piece of paper’ on the doormat saying the postman has failed to deliver a parcel deserve better service, MPs were told yesterday.

Richard Hooper, the former civil servant who led a review into the postal service, said senders of mail tend to get a better deal than its recipients.

‘We all return home at 7pm in the evening to find the dreaded piece of paper that requires you to go out to the delivery office between the hours of 8am and noon the following day,’ he told MPs.
A Royal Mail van

Senders of mail tend to get a better service than the recipients, according to a report by Richard Hooper, chairman of of a Government-commissioned review into the postal service

Mr Hooper said it should be possible to pick up packages, such as Amazon deliveries, from the local post office, rather than having to trek to the delivery office.

During his evidence, MPs on the Business & Enterprise Committee joined in with their own grievances about the postal service.

Peter Luff, Tory MP and the committee chairman, said he was fed up with the ‘ random’ times his mail was delivered.

At his home, the post arrives at any time ‘between 11am and 2pm or 3pm’ he said.
Other issues included the problems faced by small rural firms which rely on the post, but often have to wait until after lunch for its arrival.

The Communication Workers’ Union told MPs it saw no reason the Royal Mail could not introduce a ‘same day collection and delivery.’

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary, said it is 'infinitely achievable', although it is a service which is beyond the dreams of most Royal Mail customers.

Mr Luff described the idea as 'fantastic', pointing out it would be possible to send a postcard to invite a friend to tea that day.

It is a service which used to exist in the past when 'same day' invitations were possible by post, not just e-mail or text message.

In the early 1900s, there were a staggering 12 deliveries every day in London. They started at 7am and ended at 8.45pm.

The extraordinary service, which existed only in the capital, allowed people to use the post in ways which nobody would even consider nowadays.

It was possible to send a letter in the morning saying: 'I'll be home in time for tea', and the letter would arrive before you turned up on the doorstep.

The service existed between 1908 and 1914, and is a far cry from today's service.

Today there is only one delivery a day since the scrapping of second post in 2004.

Yesterday MPs used the opportunity to vent their fury at Mr Hooper's most controversial proposal for Royal Mail to sign a 'strategic partnership.'

Under the proposed sell-off, a foreign predator will buy a significant stake in the postal giant which could be worth up to 49 per cent of the firm.

Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle said the business will be treated as a 'cash cow' by a buyer amid angry confrontations with Mr Hooper over his proposal.

Mr Hooper repeatedly explained to the MPs that a strategic partnership, a regulatory change and the offloading of its pension liabilities was the only option for a firm in crisis.

He said his proposals were not an 'a la carte menu' but a 'three-course meal' which must be eaten in full by the Government.

He insisted the 'universal service obligation' is an absolutely unbreakable commitment which must be protected at all costs, whatever part-sale is agreed.

This is the pledge that means a letter can be sent for the same price to any address in the country from the Cornish coast to the Scottish highlands.

But the proposal has sparked one of the biggest revolts since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister.

There is increasing dismay on the Labour benches over the proposal which many feel breaks a manifesto pledge to keep it in public ownership.

[brothermagrew]

NO it's not right and you thought I was evil, but I like the way you think

[Big Daz]

Two things


One, My delivery office only opens its callesr office from 8am to 12 pm on a saturday and 8am to 1 pm weekdays

Two, Dave Ward got OUT of bed with New Liebour some time ago if indeed he was ever in it. I recall Dave a few years ago now speaking at a meeting/event in London for CWU mbrs in the Labour party about how he had tried to discuss our issues with Tony Blair and unsurprisngly Dave said that Blair wasnt intetrested. Since then Daves disillusionment with New Liebour has continued and he resigned his place on Labour NEC and was replaced by Andy Kerr DGS for telecoms.

Summer/Autumn last year I quit the LP as well partially due to the same reasons as DW quitting the Labour NEC and partially due to the local branch being as much use as a fish out of water and virtually conceding the local elections to the Tories and Lib Dems.

But I have a new political home one ive chosen and not one that the cwu rule book says i have to belong to and the grass im pleased to say is much greener on the other side.