Royal Mail cuts half its later collection times

[chrisj]

Universal service but not social service or non-profit making organisation.

Universal service only covers delivery anyways so collection and the rest of things is up to RM. So how long will this universal service actually last for when OFCOM is allowing more and more companies to be involved in the final mile and they are not subjected to the same rigour as RM?

In a lot of countries in Europe, people have to go to the nearest post offices to post their letters - this is what this thread is about. It is probably worse in other countries outside EC even in North America.

You cannot privatise a business and then tie up their hands to stop them making sensible business decisions that is more economically and labour efficient all round.

* Remember when we used to phone boxes everywhere and now technology and change has virtually reduced them to almost nothing. But you will still find plenty of phone booths in Railway stations, City Centres like London and other more important places where BT knows they will be making money.

Folks will not even notice that the Post boxes are gone; in a lot of cases. Have you ever gone to a remote post box and think, 'I wonder whether this post box is still in use or will the letters be collected or will someone put some horrible things through the slot?'.

[Gold Fox]

We do not know how this thing is going to work ? but .... lets face a fact .... number of boxes WILL be emptied by delivery staff ... so ... less boxes for collection drivers ... it bound to effect collection staff .. in which way ? I do not know?

[thehobbit]

strangely even though its been all over the news we have not been told any thing about this by our DOM and what they are expecting us on delivery to do ,apart from a huddle where the lino was asked if it was true and if we would get more time in the duty to empty the boxes and we were told that as it would only take seconds to do "NO"

[Thunderthighs]

I asked Saturday, What differences would it make to our office, collections, callers office etc.
Was told, "Don't really know. We'll have to play it by ear, see what happens."

So, it's OFFICIAL then..."Failing to Plan, IS Planing to Fail." Again.

[thegreatestfreddy]

collection staff in our office expecting to be doing some delivery work or losing their jobs

[SpacePhoenix]

They could move collections only staff to MCs so that shifts actually have nearer the staffing levels they need

[sussexlad]

Does anyone know if a box on a rural delivery still has to be within half mile of a later post box for the time to be changed?

[Danelectro]

Universal service only covers delivery anyways so collection and the rest of things is up to RM. As it says above Royal Mail have to provide at least on collection per day as part of the USO.

You cannot privatise a business and then tie up their hands to stop them making sensible business decisions that is more economically and labour efficient all round.

Yes you can as you yourself already pointed out-'So how long will this universal service actually last for when OFCOM is allowing more and more companies to be involved in the final mile and they are not subjected to the same rigour as RM?'
You keep making out that Royal Mail is a normal business,its not and as you point out until its clear how the USO is to be operated and upheld as part of the regulators job then trying to rationalise the job out of existence will get us where exactly? The problem with the last agreement is that it was made without a clear direction of how the USO is to be sustained so I don't buy the idea that downgrading that service by making less collections is going to off set direct delivery or fulfil the efficiency targets that the regulator wants as even the CWU in a LTB this week admit they haven't a clue what they are and the only figure you can get out of Moya Greene is that Royal Mail needs 10% profits to sustain the USO.
.

Have you ever gone to a remote post box and think, 'I wonder whether this post box is still in use or will the letters be collected or will someone put some horrible things through the slot?'.
No never.

[flimflamman]

The DOM told us last week that all the delivery staff will soon have to empty a postbox on there round,probably at 2.30 pm,the early starters/dont take a break/prep next weeks d2d early/fly round there round/go home early brigade,all started bleating,it made my day.
Your game is up you mugs.

[A2B]

i think this will be another instance where some are affected more than others. Our office is mainly walking duties with a few van shares, i use a HCT and the only post box i pass is 30mins into my walk, without radically changing our walks (causing another resign) i can't see how it can be done here at least.

[flimflamman]

Most doms cannot control there offices,most are in turmoil,getting staff to work all there paid hours is top of the agenda for RM,if that requires big changes (planners back,repicks,ect) i think that is what they will do in my opinion

[blackadder]

8 till 4 job this time next year

[SpacePhoenix]

i think this will be another instance where some are affected more than others. Our office is mainly walking duties with a few van shares, i use a HCT and the only post box i pass is 30mins into my walk, without radically changing our walks (causing another resign) i can't see how it can be done here at least.

If you had to colect from that box it would have to be on your way back to the office as boxes aren't allowed to be scanned early

[A2B]

i think this will be another instance where some are affected more than others. Our office is mainly walking duties with a few van shares, i use a HCT and the only post box i pass is 30mins into my walk, without radically changing our walks (causing another resign) i can't see how it can be done here at least.

If you had to colect from that box it would have to be on your way back to the office as boxes aren't allowed to be scanned early

That was partly my point, my walk and plenty of others would have to be planned out again from scratch as to fit in with collection times. Also if i was to finish at the collection box it would take me well over the 1 mile limit from the office and so would require transport back to the office making it a pointless exercise

[dvbuk55]

That was partly my point, my walk and plenty of others would have to be planned out again from scratch as to fit in with collection times. Also if i was to finish at the collection box it would take me well over the 1 mile limit from the office and so would require transport back to the office making it a pointless exercise

I might be wrong here but I think the 1 mile limit is not the end of the round but the beginning - some of our deliveries are way off a mile when they finish.