Cheltenham households face cut to post deliveries in Royal Mail pilot

Cheltenham households may see a cut to their postal service from next week. The town’s delivery office is taking part in a ‘new delivery model’ trial which could result in an end to second class deliveries at weekends.

Instead, second class mail would arrive over the course of ‘non-consecutive’ weekdays. The move is part of a pilot taking place while regulator Ofcom gets ready to rule on Royal Mail’s request to cut back on its operating obligations. If rolled out nationally it could save the privatised firm up to £300million a year.

The pilot would also cover parts of Bristol covered by the Clifton delivery office, as well as Trowbridge in Wiltshire. A spokesman said: “Working with our unions, CWU and Unite CMA, we plan to pilot a new delivery model in 37 of our circa 1,200 delivery offices this year.

“The first pilot is due to start in February 2025 with a staggered roll out over the following months. The pilots are designed to ensure everything runs smoothly and we can deliver a better customer experience if we deploy any Universal Service changes.

“We will only look to implement our new operating model if Ofcom’s new regulations come into force. Until then, the current regulatory framework remains in place and any proposals are subject to change.”

No further details about the pilot were available at this time, the spokesman said. Announcing a potential review of Royal Mail’s obligations in the autumn, Ofcom said no decision had been made, but it aimed to publish a consultation in early 2025 and make a decision by the summer.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications, said: “If we decide to propose changes to the universal service next year, we want to make sure we achieve the best outcome for consumers. So we’re now looking at whether we can get the universal service back on an even keel in a way that meets people’s needs. But this won’t be a free pass for Royal Mail – under any scenario, it must invest in its network, become more efficient and improve its service levels.”

Martin Seidenberg, group chief executive of Royal Mail owner International Distribution Services, said: “Our proposal for the future of the universal service has been developed after speaking to thousands of people across the country, and is designed to protect what matters most for customers. It can be achieved through regulatory change with no need for new legislation. The universal service faces a very real and urgent financial sustainability challenge.”

The group also said its plans would lead to “fewer than 1,000” voluntary redundancies with daily delivery routes cut by between 7,000-9,000 within two years. Earlier this month the firm indicated it was in line to turn a profit this financial year following a boost in revenue from Christmas parcels.

It is currently in the process of being bought by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretínský for £3.6 billion. The cost of a second class stamp for a standard letter is currently 85p – almost half that of first at £1.65.