After 40 years is this the end of the first class post?
Two-day delivery for all letters
largest-ever poll of users of the postal service about what they need from the Royal Mail.
The report concludes that ‘a significant proportion of first class mail does not actually need to arrive the next day’, adding that it is ‘expensive’ to provide the current service.
Ofcom said the most popular option – backed by 39 per cent of users – was the alternative one-price system, rather than the current two-tiered option.
Its 144-page report also considered stopping postmen from having to deliver post through people’s letterboxes.
Instead, post could be left in a ‘secure locker’ in a train station or village hall, or placed in ‘a secure weatherproof box’ at the edge of a property, according to the report.
But Ofcom said the majority of people surveyed were ‘strongly against’ this idea.
Ofcom also considered the idea of cutting the number of deliveries per week. At present, Royal Mail is legally bound to pick up and deliver letters six days a week for the same price – known as the ‘universal service.’ But the report suggests that changing this is unlikely, stating: ‘The Government has indicated it has no intention to change at present.’
Robert Hammond, director of postal policy at Consumer Focus, said its own research found many people were ‘happy’ with the idea of just a single class of post. But he added: ‘A premium product that guarantees a next day delivery must remain an option for special circumstances.’
Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union. said: ‘We want to see innovation, not cuts, in order to improve service standards.’
A Department for Business spokesman said: ‘The minimum requirements of the universal service, such as the sixday letters service, cannot be changed by Ofcom.
‘Those requirements can only be changed by Parliament.’
But Ofcom has the power to merge first and second class post into one service.
Its proposals are subject to a public consultation, which closes on December 18. It must publish its decision by March 31, 2013. FIRST class post could be axed under proposals published yesterday by the industry regulator. Ofcom is considering scrapping the two-tier system of first and second class post which has been in place for more than 40 years.
Instead they may be merged into one service which would see a letter taking two days to arrive, according to proposals set out yesterday.
At present, it costs 60p for a first class stamp for a letter to arrive the next working day, and 50p for second class which should arrive within three working days.
But Ofcom says it is thinking of replacing this system with one in which a stamp costs around 53p and letters take two days to arrive.
It said: ‘The benefits of a next day service would appear to be diminishing over time as the use of other communication methods can fulfil the need for speed.’
The proposals follow a survey, described by Ofcom as the