Royal Mail to axe Saturday deliveries

Sarah Chambers, of Postcomm, told a conference in London: "There are other ways to deliver a service to customers in far-flung areas than insisting on a six-day-a-week service," according to the Financial Times

She is reported to have told the annual postal service conference, organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs, that the UK's current service, with deliveries on Saturdays as well as weekdays, is akin to a "Rolls-Royce" car compared to the rest of Europe, where five days a week is standard.

Ms Chambers is also said to have told the conference that insisting on keeping the Saturday delivery going could lead to higher prices for other postal services.

"If people see a rise in the cost of stamps to preserve the present universal service obligation, they may wish to look at the options," she said.

Three years ago Royal Mail was allowed to end second-day deliveries to help cut costs.

A spokesman for Postcomm said it was too early to say it was proposing dropping Saturday services and stressed Royal Mail has not asked it to sanction such a highly controversial move.

"This is part of a strategy review looking at everything," said the spokesman. "We are trying to ascertain what customers need but there are certainly no plans for a five-day-a-week service on the table.

"We are trying to stimulate debate, but the Royal Mail has not asked for a five-day service and we've not proposed it."

The spokesman added if a new service is eventually brought in it will not be in the near future.

Alan Halfacre, chairman of the Mail Users Association, said: "If you want to take it down to five, it doesn't have to be Saturday you lose."