Firms tell Labour to block 'Beeching style' post cuts

A BUSINESS coalition representing more than 10,000 small and medium size firms today urged the Labour government to block “Beeching style” cuts to postal services.

- Jonathan Prynn

Bodies including the Greeting Card Association (GCA), the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), the Booksellers Association, and the National Federation of SubPostmasters, joined forces to send a letter to the new business secretary Jonathan Reynolds stressing the importance of reliable, regular and affordable postal deliveries to high streets and communities.

They fear that a review of the Royal Mail’s “Universal Service Obligation” (USO) to deliver letters and parcels anywhere in the country for the same price six days a week, being carried out by regulator Ofgem, will pave the way for drastic cutbacks.

Options being looked at include slashing the second class service back to three days while making first class a more expensive premium “next day” service. Slower delivery times are also being proposed.