Ofcom must reject Royal Mail service cut proposals – Carmichael

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today called on postal regulator Ofcom to reject proposals from Royal Mail to cut back on delivery services. 

Royal Mail on Wednesday published proposals to cut services including changing the delivery of all non-first class letters to every other weekday, though first class would continue to be delivered six days per week.

The plans are aimed at saving up to £300m a year. If approved they would mean daily delivery routes are cut by between 7,000 to 9,000 within two years, and would likely lead to job cuts.

Mr Carmichael said:

“These proposals are a non-starter, and the government and Ofcom should reject them out of hand. They are bad for people who rely on the postal service and they are, ultimately, bad for Royal Mail as they undermine the basic concept of the universal service.

“If this is supposed to support financial viability then I cannot see the logic. If first class is going to continue to be delivered on all days then it is hardly going to save Royal Mail anything – unless it is the precursor to further cuts.

“Postal services are of course changing with time but people still expect the basics to be done. The point of a regulator like Ofcom is to protect consumers – they need to remember that, and take a more active role.”