Postcomm today began a 30-day consultation on a Royal Mail request to allow postmen and women an extra day off – Saturday 27 December – over the Christmas bank holiday period.
Normally postmen and women make a last collection and delivery on Christmas Eve and have two days off — Christmas Day, and Boxing Day, 25 and 26 December. Because this year the day after Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, and there are no deliveries on Sunday, Royal Mail has proposed allowing postal staff to take the Saturday off. This has been Royal Mail’s practice in the past (27 December last fell on a Saturday in 1997).
Postcomm will need to consider the effect on business users trading on 27 December and other postal customers. If agreed, Postcomm would waive Royal Mail’s obligation to provide UK-wide collections and deliveries on 27 December 2003.
The consultation paper, Notice of a Proposed Direction Designating 27 December 2003 as an exception to the Universal Service Obligation, is published on the Postcomm website (www.postcomm.gov.uk. Printed copies will be available shortly from Postcomm at 6 Hercules Road, London SE1 7DB. Responses are requested by 13 October.
