Royal Mail pick-ups to spark ‘mass post office closures’

ROYAL Mail’s new parcel collection service will cause mass post office closures, union leaders have warned.

Posties can make collections as they deliver mail, with households charged 72p per item on top of postage costs.

But the Communication Workers Union fears it will finish off many struggling branches, which are part of a Government-owned company.

It says 40 per cent of the

Post Office’s £1billion annual income comes from handling Royal Mail work.

The CWU’s Andy Furey said: “The impact would undoubtedly lead to mass closures of post offices that would be unsustainable unless heavily Government subsidised.”

The Government says it has invested £2billion in the network over the past 10 years.

Royal Mail said its new service will “complement” Post Office operations.