Royal Mail postal delivery days could be reduced to either 5 or 3 days a week under new proposals being put forward by Ofcom. Royal Mail's universal service obligation (USO) stipulates that it must deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million addresses in the UK for the price of a stamp, no matter where the letters are going.
The industry regulator has warned that the UK postal service ‘must modernise’ and risks becoming ‘unsustainable’ without urgent reform. However, the Communication Workers Union slammed Ofcom’s proposed reforms, saying any reduction to the universal service obligation would result in unavoidable job loses. Report by Caponm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The industry regulator has warned that the UK postal service ‘must modernise’ and risks becoming ‘unsustainable’ without urgent reform. However, the Communication Workers Union slammed Ofcom’s proposed reforms, saying any reduction to the universal service obligation would result in unavoidable job loses. Report by Caponm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00 Royal Mail postal delivery days could be reduced to either five or three days a week under new plans being put forward by Ofcom.
00:07 Currently, the Royal Mail's Universal Service Obligation, or USO, stipulates that it must deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million addresses in the UK for the price of a stamp, no matter where the letters are going.
00:22 However, the industry regulator has warned that the UK postal service must modernise and risks becoming unsustainable without reform.
00:30 All our research shows that what people really want is actually affordability and reliability.
00:36 So we think that there are options for reducing the number of days of the week, maybe extending the amount of time it takes for some deliveries to arrive, but in exchange then for absolutely cast iron promises from the Royal Mail on delivering that service.
00:51 Ofcom has come under fire over the package of reforms for the Universal Service Obligation to households and businesses who rely on Royal Mail postal deliveries.
01:00 As it stands, it's five days plus Saturday, so it's Monday to Friday, Saturday. I would be really worried about the ability to get copies on letterboxes if it was a three-day delivery service.
01:13 Postal workers have hit out over the controversial proposals, calling it the wrong decision for the potential damage it could have on local communities.
01:21 For a lot of people, especially in the more rural communities, you may be the only point of contact that they see for days.
01:28 The Communication Workers' Union slammed the impact of the proposed reforms.
01:33 Martin Walsh, the Deputy General Secretary of the CWU, has said that the proposals would result in unavoidable job losses.
01:41 I think in terms of job losses, we're talking around four and a half thousand for every day the USO is reduced, which is significant in terms of what Royal Mail's proposal or Ofcom's proposals are.
01:56 Following the publication of Ofcom's proposals, Rishi Sunak moved to reassure the general public that the government would not want to see the end of the current pattern of Royal Mail deliveries across the UK.
02:08 Mr Speaker, I agree about the importance of Royal Mail's universal service obligation, and as you will have heard from the Minister this morning, we remain absolutely committed to ensuring that it remains as it is.
02:18 Royal Mail has urged the government and Ofcom to review its obligations, arguing that it is no longer workable or cost-effective, given the decline in address letter post.
02:28 Meanwhile, Ofcom has stressed that downgrading Royal Mail's delivery targets is not an option.
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