Letters sent through post at 15 year low

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... r-low.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Letters sent through the post have fallen to their lowest level for nearly 15 years, official figures show.

Royal Mail said the average daily postbag fell to 68million, down from 84million at the peak five years ago. Photo: ALAMY

The poor performance helped to push Royal Mail’s letters business into a loss for the first six months of the year.

Royal Mail said the average daily postbag fell to 68million, down from 84million at its peak five years ago.

This was now at levels “last seen in the mid-1990s”, Royal Mail said. In 1995/96 70 million letters were posted daily in the UK.

The performance pushed Royal Mail’s letters business from a £48million profit last year into a £66million loss in the first six months of Royal Mail's financial year.

Overall, group operating profits in the six months to 26 September fell more than two thirds from £184million to £52million.

Royal Mail said its business continued to suffer increased competition from rivals as well as the use of email, websites and social media.

New Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene warned that mail volumes could fall in the UK to as few as 41million a day by 2015, a fall of 40 per cent.

Ms Greene, who took over as chief executive earlier this year, said the figures showed it was “absolutely vital we step up the pace of modernisation”.

Despite the problems, she insisted that “Royal Mail will not increase first and second class stamp prices” beyond the level allowed by the regulator.

The figures came a month after the Government announced Royal Mail was to be privatised, with 90 per cent of its shares sold privately.

Operating profits at the post office network also more than halved to £20 million in the first half of the year.

It said Post Office revenues were hit by a decline in traditional business, such as benefit payments by the Post Office Account, and lower demand for services including foreign currency.

Ministers are pushing the Postal Services Bill through Parliament to enable private capital to be injected and will take on Royal Mail's £8 billion in pension liabilities.

The network of 12,000 post offices will be kept in state ownership.

The Government said the figures “really bring home the need for the action”.

A spokesman added: “The situation is not sustainable and that is why we are pressing ahead with our plans.”

However the Communication Workers Union which is opposing the plans said the figures were “the strongest argument yet for keeping Royal mail publicly owned and fully integrated”.

Billy Hayes, the head of the CWU, said: “Overall there was a group profit and the quality of service has been maintained - would anyone expect a private company to provide the universal service and good quality of service in this context?”

[POSTMAN]

What were the profits 15 years ago,bare in mind also we have what nearly 60,000 odd less staff now.

[DGP1]

What were the profits 15 years ago,bare in mind also we have what nearly 60,000 odd less staff now.

Three little letters can give the answer

[Phantom]

What were the profits 15 years ago,bare in mind also we have what nearly 60,000 odd less staff now.

I can remember them being in the region of £450-£600 million so its all lies and bollocks

[guvenor]

its the old labour spin being used if you tell a lie often enough it will be believed eventually
lets go back 10 years every one on ot doing 2nd delv working b/shift night/shift every sat double deliveries at double time and you were finished before 11/12 o,clock .rem this was probably only 2/3 bags max less than 1/4 of what we carry now
and we still made millions . wtf do they really think we are so stupid

[POSTMAN]

I started i think 13-14 years ago,my 1st year they made £600+ ish NET,i remember it well as i asked my manager what do they do with it and he said they invest it back into the business.

[Stormproof]

The title says it all really 'Letters sent through the post', not letters that are dumped in our yard by at least a dozen lorries everyday.
I find it really strange but since all and sundry have been able to sell stamps instead of just the PO the mail has dropped off(apparently), what do companies like Superdrug etc pay for stamps? I smell a and a bloody big one at that.

[ziko]

How come every single postman i know says the same thing .. I personally finished at 3 today and was then told i can't claim O/T because i will make it all back on Saturday....... ''We the posties have never had so much mail to deliver'' and thats a fact.

[barbario]

Does this fall in letter volume include DSA.?

[mandelsons_toenail]

Royal Mail said its business continued to suffer increased competition from rivals as well as the use of email, websites and social media.

Ok im 31 years of age and id consider myself pretty normal. In all those years ive maybe posted 20 letters be it postcards/car insurance documents etc etc. The old chestnut about email and "social media" is utter bollocks, what about ebay? 8 years ago you didnt even have panniers on bikes and had a few packets to slip in your bag now you have between 20-70 a day, they are making a fortune. im carrying more letters than ever, not just weight . My call rates are high and instead of having 0-1 letter for a house im having 2-5. Absolute lies and typical of the government. LIES LIES LIES

New Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene warned that mail volumes could fall in the UK to as few as 41million a day by 2015, a fall of 40 per cent.

40% down within 5 years? Excellent, so in 5 years we will all be happy as we will only have 1-2 bags then, early finishes everyday including saturdays, god what will they make us do I bet if we are all still here in 5 years there will be more than ever.

mails down they say. Yeah only on paper. There are only so many ways you can cook the figures, piss takers all of them

[dvbuk55]

I started i think 13-14 years ago,my 1st year they made £600+ ish NET,i remember it well as i asked my manager what do they do with it and he said they invest it back into the business.

Well it didn't take him long to start lying to you............but on a lighter note it does seem strange that the downward spiral began just as you were appointed ......................no, no.............it must just be coincidence

[POSTMAN]

I started i think 13-14 years ago,my 1st year they made £600+ ish NET,i remember it well as i asked my manager what do they do with it and he said they invest it back into the business.

Well it didn't take him long to start lying to you............but on a lighter note it does seem strange that the downward spiral began just as you were appointed ......................no, no.............it must just be coincidence

[cyclemech1]

Does anyone remember about 10 -12 years ago we were making so much money that Richard Dykes, the MD as was, reduced the price of 2nd class letters by 1p?
Whats changed? Oh yes the DSA leeches have creamed off all the profits.
I wonder if anyone has checked to see who runs these companies and can tie them in to the regulator or the politicians that set us up to fail?