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More than seven in 10 Britons are worried that Royal Mail’s plans to slash second-class letters could harm them or someone they know. Over 72% of people said they were concerned about the proposed changes to second-class letter deliveries from six days a week to three days a week, a survey for campaign group We Own It found.
Members of the public are fearful of the impact of delays to vital letters from GPs, solicitors, local councils or other professional services. The poll, by Survation, found that the public are evenly split over whether they agree with the cuts, with 35% in favour and 34% against, despite being fearful of the changes.
Those over 65 are more strongly against the cuts, with only 16% in favour and 54% against, which reflects “differing generational attitudes towards letters”.
Johnbosco Nwogbo, lead campaigner at public ownership campaign group We Own It, said: “When Royal Mail was privatised, the public was assured that this move was needed to save our letter deliveries.
“The private sector was supposed to be innovative and work out ways to provide the same level of service sustainably. The fact that we are now being asked to endorse a cut is evidence that privatisation has failed.
“Maybe it is time the Government thought about returning it to public ownership. They can combine it with the Post Office, expand the range of services it provides, some of which would benefit rural communities enormously, and cross-subsidise the letters side with the profitable parcels side of the service like some cities do with their bus services.”
In January, industry regulator Ofcom proposed that Royal Mail should only deliver second-class letters every other weekday and not on Saturdays to protect the future of the UK’s postal industry.
It said Royal Mail should continue to deliver first-class letters six days a week but second class will be limited to alternate weekdays.
The move could save the company between £400million and £650million annually.
Ofcom also proposed dropping the target for second-class mail arriving within three days from 98.5% to 95%.
The number of letters Royal Mail delivers has fallen from a peak of 20billion in 2004-05 to 6.6billion last year.
But stamp prices have risen for the sixth time in just over three years, with a second-class stamp now 87p and a first-class stamp now £1.70.
Mr Nwogbo said: “Whilst not everyone writes letters regularly, we still post birthday, anniversary and get well soon cards. This is a service that is key to our social fabric. Millions of people on NHS waiting lists are also very much reliant on letters from the NHS with surgery appointments, some of which will be at very short notice. As soon as you chip away at that universal service, you immediately disadvantage certain people, such as older citizens and digitally excluded groups.
“Our polling clearly shows that people are worried about a reduction in service and want Royal Mail in public ownership.”
Meanwhile 60% of the 2,029 respondents polled in April said they wanted Royal Mail to be taken back into public ownership, reversing the 2013 sell-off by the coalition government.
Almost 9,000 members of the public responded to the Ofcom consultation on their view on slashing second-class letter deliveries.
The £3.6billion takeover of Royal Mail by Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský is set to be completed by the end of the month.
International Distribution Services (IDS), the owner of the 508-year-old Royal Mail, said earlier in April that the deal “may become or be declared unconditional” by April 30, after a delay caused by issues in Romania.
Royal Mail must meet the universal service obligation set by Parliament and by Ofcom – it cannot unilaterally slash the universal service obligation.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Business and Trade said: “We recognise the importance of Royal Mail as an iconic British institution and are committed to the universal service obligation set by Parliament and Ofcom.
“A reliable and affordable universal postal service is crucial to the UK and we are clear it must work for customers, workers and businesses that help drive growth across the country.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “As Ofcom’s analysis shows, it is no longer financially sustainable to maintain a network built for 20 billion letters when we are only delivering 6.7 billion.
“We have listened to thousands of people around the UK to ensure the Universal Service continues to meet their needs and delivers a more efficient, more reliable and more financially sustainable service. Our extensive market research shows that 92% of consumers believe that the proposal to deliver Second Class letters every other weekday and First Class letters six days a week would meet their needs.
“Our proposal is designed to preserve what matters most to our customers – maintaining a one-price-goes-anywhere service to 32 million UK addresses, a choice of First and Second Class services, and First Class deliveries six days a week.”
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