ROYAL MAIL AXED BY BRISTOL

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Bet Royal Mail will still deliver them in Bristol- Also worth clicking this Link to see the comments

07:11 - 25 March 2008

Bristol City Council has sparked a row after it was revealed it had axed its contract with the Royal Mail for the bulk of its post.

Former Lord Mayor Peter Abraham accused the Labour-run council of hypocrisy - weeping "crocodile tears" over 29 proposed post office closures in the Bristol area, then taking business away from the Royal Mail and handing it to a private operator.

After next Monday all the city council's second-class post - which Councillor Abraham (Con, Stoke Bishop) believes is about 90 per cent of all the mail the authority sends out - will be collected by the Royal Mail's rival, TNT.

This is likely to include council tax demands, letters notifying parents of school place offers and notices to people who may be affected by planning applications.

Mr Abraham said: "I've had a leaflet telling me that corporate mail services will be changing for non-first-class posting from March 31.

"The mail will be collected every day from the Council House post room by TNT and delivered within two days.

"We're told the council will pay 21 pence per letter. I understand the Royal Mail's rate for franked second-class mail is currently 21p but is due to go up on April 8.

"We must be one of the Royal Mail's biggest customers in Bristol.

"As a council taxpayer and member of a public body, I would sooner support the Post Office.

"Sometimes the cheapest isn't always the best. The cost of saving a penny here could well mean another post office or two being lost in Bristol.

"It's outrageous. At a time when we are saying we want to save post offices, we are taking away the lifeblood of the Royal Mail Group, their delivery services."

Council leader Helen Holland referred the Evening Post's inquiries about the contract change to the council's press office, which was last night unavailable for comment.

But Peter Abraham's Tory group leader on the council, Richard Eddy, said: "The council has a duty to its council tax payers to make sure it gets value for money.

"It seems to me that this is the kind of efficiency saving the council should be looking at.

"I don't think this will make a direct change to the Post Office network, so I'm reasonably relaxed about it."

In the old Avon County Council area, 29 post offices are facing the axe after Royal Mail bosses were told to close 2,500 branches across the country or face losing state support.

A six-week consultation on the closures - ending on April 9 - is being undertaken and independent watchdog Postwatch has urged customers to air their views before it delivers its verdict on the proposals to the Royal Mail.

MPs and local councillors have heavily criticised the decision.

Postmasters across the region pledged to fight the closures, with one post office launching a petition which gained 250 signatures in the first day alone.

[somerset]

Thanks Teebs Hope everybody who read that clicks on second line = Bet royal mail will still deliver them in Bristol. And reads the comments part? Especially the ones made by Paul and Ryan? That's the sort of idiots who live in this area

[sevenandseven]

Interesting that Paul and Ryan make the same comments about TNT and Amazon. Has the contract come back to Royal Mail because all the recent items I have had have been delivered direct by Royal Mail, second class and fast. Could it be that some have come from Amazon in Inverclyde and TNT don't collect that far north?

[coaster]

Interesting that Paul and Ryan make the same comments about TNT and Amazon. Has the contract come back to Royal Mail because all the recent items I have had have been delivered direct by Royal Mail, second class and fast. Could it be that some have come from Amazon in Inverclyde and TNT don't collect that far north?

Not sure but my Postie delivers most of my mail (amazon) and I deliver a shedload as well. Indigofish (amazon as well) also still use RM

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I sort packets and about 2/3rds at a guess is TNT embossed - so these commentators appear not to know who is delivering their mail. I think some really believe that TNT, DP, DHL and all the others deliver their own mail.

[pinstripe]

People that makes these types of comments know the score, they know they're talking rubbish but they are in there own world where the truth doesn't happen to them. It's a shame for Bristol and Bristol posties but at least in 5 years the good citizens of Bristol can look back and say at least they played their part in the destruction of their postal service.

We should also stamp all our competitors mail "Still Being Delivered by Royal Mail" just to show who actually delivers their Amazon TNT marked parcels and letters etc.

[somerset]

We should also stamp all our competitors mail "Still Being Delivered by Royal Mail" just to show who actually delivers their Amazon TNT marked parcels and letters etc.[/quote]

[Night Tonic]

I sort packets and about 2/3rds at a guess is TNT embossed - so these commentators appear not to know who is delivering their mail. I think some really believe that TNT, DP, DHL and all the others deliver their own mail.

Thats perfectly true TBT but out there, no bugger cares. This really links up to mail volume thread I think. Irrespective of whether we're carrying less or more, most of what we carry is a drop in profit compared to what it used to be.

[DGP1]

I sort packets and about 2/3rds at a guess is TNT embossed - so these commentators appear not to know who is delivering their mail. I think some really believe that TNT, DP, DHL and all the others deliver their own mail.

In my DO most of the Amazon packets are DN

[edinburghsteve]

I think most people do realise RM deliver their mail by the amount of junk mail getting through their doors. And the mails going down!!!!!