Royal Mail and Post Services

[se22]

The regulator has approved 2nd class deliveries on alternate days, excluding Saturdays. So Monday, Wednesday and Friday on week 1. Tuesday and Thursday on week 2. Don't know when it starts but in theory it will be better than the current haphazard service. Earlier this week I received bills and other items which had been in the post for 2 weeks. Definitely not the fault of the posties.

[Spartacus]

Will we notice any difference compared to now ?

In the dim days before electricity light our street lights, the idea of two classes of mail meant that 1st class was delivered in the morning and 2nd class later in the day (yes two postal rounds per day) 

But now, with modern technology and other "efficiency" changes we get one or less rounds a day and 2nd class is now within 3 days. Somehow I feel the death throes of a ine great postal service 

[Sue]

47 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

Will we notice any difference compared to now ?

In the dim days before electricity light our street lights, the idea of two classes of mail meant that 1st class was delivered in the morning and 2nd class later in the day (yes two postal rounds per day) 

But now, with modern technology and other "efficiency" changes we get one or less rounds a day and 2nd class is now within 3 days. Somehow I feel the death throes of a ine great postal service 

But in those distant days, there was no other means of communication for most people.

There was semaphore, then morse code, then telegrams, then landline telephones (no idea of dates or what order they were invented or introduced). 

Actual written letters might be carried around the country on horseback or in stage coaches.

I'm so ancient I remember it was a big deal to get a birthday telegram on my birthday, and my parents didn't have a phone for ages.

Now many things are done by email or other online methods, and most people (at least in this country) have mobiles.

And if something needs a physical copy, it can usually be printed out at home (or at a print shop if you don't have a printer).

So actual physical post is becoming less and less important for the vast majority of people.

I'm pretty sure the idea of first and second class post was originally in terms of the time taken between posting and delivery (first class next day, second class longer) and nothing to do with the time of day things were delivered, but I stand to be corrected.

If the changes mean we get things like new bank cards and random items we've ordered online quicker, then great, but otherwise I can't see it's going to make much difference to most people.

Even things like hospital appointments are dealt with by apps and/or email these days.

Edited July 10 by Sue

[jazzer]

So everything postal wise is likely to take longer, pay more = get less. 

This is the beginning of the slow and gradual death of Royal Mail. 

[Penguin68]

A political weekly I subscribe to was often delivered to me on Monday or Tuesday after its Thursday publication. Or later. Never before Friday. 

They have changed their delivery from Royal Mail to a courier service and for the last 3 weeks it's been posted around 7:30 on Thursday morning or before! 

Presumably that must now cost in for them. 

The slow death of Royal Mail may not be that slow... 

 

Edited August 21 by Penguin68

[Sue]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3v37plv2edo

Interesting article about Denmark stopping letter deliveries.

[Pugwash]

Currently getting post 2/3 times  a week.