Royal Mail essential for Highlands economy, says MP

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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The postal service is essential to communities in the Highlands, the local MP has told Royal Mail bosses.

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey MP Danny Alexander met Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene in Inverness.

He outlined the importance of the postal service to communities across the Highlands.

The MP has been a longstanding campaigner against unfair and misleading delivery surcharges imposed by many courier firms on Highlanders buying goods on the internet and via mail order catalogues.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury highlighted the universal parcels service which Royal Mail provides for packages up to 20kg in weight.

Mr Alexander invited Moya Greene to visit following a meeting in London earlier this year. After their meeting, they met some employees at the Strothers Lane Sorting Office.

He said: "I am very pleased to be able to welcome Moya to the Highland Capital. By coming here, she is showing a strong commitment to listen to and understand the needs of our area.

"The future of the Royal Mail and the Post Office network is enormously important to the Highland economy. The Government has demonstrated its commitment with £1.3bn investment in the Post Office network, ending Labour's programme of closures. We will also ensure that Royal Mail gets the investment it needs in the future.

"Amidst the dramatic changes taking place in the postal market, with a sharp decline in volume of letters, the potential threat to that service cannot be ignored.

"I want to make sure the Government helps Royal Mail to adapt successfully to the world we now live in - and the growth of email and the internet especially. Packages and parcels are increasingly important both to consumers in the Highlands and to local businesses.

"Royal Mail currently provides a universal service for all items up to 20kg in weight. I hope we will see the standard and scope of that service maintained and improved across the Highlands & Islands. The Government needs to ensure it has the support it needs not to be undermined by businesses which will not offer the same commitment to our area."

CEO of Royal Mail Group, Moya Greene, said: "I am very pleased to be in the Highlands and to recognise the long-standing positive relationship that Royal Mail has with this part of the UK.

"My colleagues and I understand very clearly how this part of the country differs from more densely populated areas. Royal Mail Group is undergoing major change and at this time we share Mr Alexander's determination that the services we provide continue to give our customers a world class service and are relevant in the world we all now live in.

"We are also fully committed to the Universal Service and we recognise its importance to rural areas.

"Our meeting will explore a number of issues which I look forward to working on in the future with Mr Alexander, as well as other Highland MPs and representatives."

[ziko]

The Government has demonstrated its commitment with £1.3bn investment in the Post Office network, ending Labour's programme of closures. We will also ensure that Royal Mail gets the investment it needs in the future

You sound so sure of this

[blackadder]

another example of how the north of england wants ind but could you just still throw loads of money at us. maybe he outa ask alex salmond what his thoughts are when he gets his wish