Alternatives to Royal Mail?

[drc]

With all the strikes that are going on at the moment, I am wondering if there is a cheaper (or at least more efficient) alternative to Royal Mail for small packages and letters. I'm so sick of things going amiss or not receiving items for weeks.

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, not to expensive service?

[custardy]

Originally Posted by drc

With all the strikes that are going on at the moment, I am wondering if there is a cheaper (or at least more efficient) alternative to Royal Mail for small packages and letters. I'm so sick of things going amiss or not receiving items for weeks.

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, not to expensive service?

yup 30 of them

CFH Total Document Management Limited.
St Peter’s Park, Wells Road, Radstock, BA3 3UP. Tel: 01761 416311. Fax: 01761 409700. Email: info@cfh.com. Website: www.cfh.com.
Citipost AMP Limited (formerly Alternative Mail and Parcels Limited) .
16 Gunnery Terrace, Cornwallis Road, Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SW. Tel: 020 8301 8500 (head office & distribution). Fax: 020 8854 5309 (head office & distribution). Email: sales@citipost.co.uk or mogburn@citipost.co.uk . Website: www.citipost.com.
City Cycle Couriers (trading name of Mr Kenneth Holder).
The Business Centre, 2 Cattedown Road, Plymouth, PL4 0EG. Tel: 07875 760254. Email: citycyclecouriers@btinternet.com.
City Link Post (trading name of Target Express Parcels) .
Woodlands Park, Ashton Road, Newton Le Willows, Warrington, WA12 0HF. Tel: 02476 308358 (customer service enquiries) or 07702 313423 (sales enquiries). Fax: 02476 308367. Email: Andrew.Harden-Sweetnam@city-link.co.uk. Website: http://target.city-link.co.uk.
Cycle 4 U (trading name of Mr Stephen James Young).
Friends of the Earth Warehouse, 54-57 Allison Street, Birmingham, B5 5TH. Tel: 0800 321 3431. Email: info@cycle4u.co.uk. Website: www.cycle4u.co.uk.
CMS (trading name of Royale Research Limited) .
Record House, 236 Record Street, London, SE1 1TL. Tel: 020 7732 2000. Fax: 020 7732 2233. Email: clientservices@cmsnetwork.com or info@cmsnetwork.com. Website: www.cmsnetwork.com.
DHL Express (formerly Securicor Omega Express).
DHL Global Mail (UK) Limited.
4-8 Queensway, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4BD. Tel: 0845 6007678 (customer services) or 0808 1007678 (sales). Fax: 020 8603 3001. Email: customerservices@dhlglobalmail.co.uk (customer services) or sales@dhlglobalmail.co.uk (sales). Website: www.dhlglobalmail.co.uk.
Document Outsourcing Limited.
Document house, 3 Phoenix Crescent, Strathclyde Business Park, Belshill, ML4 3NJ. Tel: 01698 847979. Fax: 01698 847980. Email: gerry.crawley@dolmail.com (sales) or arthur.mccormick@dolmail.com (other matters). Website: www.documentoutsourcing.com.
DX Network Services Limited .
DX House, Ridgeway, Iver, Bucks, SL0 9JQ. Tel: 08705 222 324 (customer enquiries) or 08457 585 325 (sales). Email: info@thedx.co.uk Website: www.thedx.co.uk.
FedEx UK Limited (formerly ANC Limited).
Parkhouse East Industrial Estate, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 7RB. Tel: 01782 563322 (customer service enquiries) or 0800 262123 (sales enquiries). Fax: 01782 563633. Email: martindavidian@fedex.com. Website: http://uk.fedex.com/.
First Scottish Group Limited.
St David's House, St David's Drive, Dalgety Bay, Fife, KY11 9NB. Tel: 01383 826777. Fax: 01383 826778. Email: customerservices@firstscottish.com. Website: www.firstscottish.com.
Intercity Communications Limited .
64-70 Vyner Street, London, E2 9DQ. Tel: 020 8923 8080 (customer services) or 020 8981 2828 (sales enquiries). Fax: 020 8980 7222. Email: colinc@intercity-comms.co.uk. Website: www.icityc.co.uk.
LDS Cambridge Limited
12 Garlic Row, Cambridge, CB5 8HW. Tel: 01223 571109. Email: james@ldscambridge.com. Website: www.ldscambridge.com.

Lynx Mail (trading name of Red Star Parcels Limited (a UPS company)) .
St Davids Way, Bermuda Park, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 7SD. Tel: 020 8751 4259 (customer services) or 0870 199 8373 (sales enquiries). Fax: 01543 472009. Email: grothery@ups.com. Website: www.ups.com.
Northern Mail (trading name of The Mailing House Group).
Nelson Park, Nelson Way, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 1JY. Tel: 08700 10 2000. Fax: 01670 566 501. Email: admin@themailinghouse.co.uk. Website: www.northernmail.co.uk.
Peoplepost Limited
83 Bison Place, Leyland, Lancashire, PR26 8HA. Tel: 0845 686 6245. Email: info@peoplepost.co.uk. Website: www.peoplepost.co.uk.
Post 123 (trading name of Mr Aaron Leitner).
26 Roston Road, Salford, M7 4FS. Tel: 0161 740 1482. Email: al@mhmanchester.org.uk.
Product Development Corporation UK (trading name of Product Development Corporation).
First Floor Regency House, York Business Park, York, YO26 6RW. Tel: 01904 606300. Fax: 01904 606311. Email: customerservice@teampdc.co.uk. Website: www.pdcuk.co.uk.
Racer Consultancy Management Services.
101 Legacy Centre, Hanworth Trading Estate, Hampton Road West, Feltham, TW13 6DH. Tel: 020 8893 8833. Fax: 020 8893 8800. Email: cservices@racer.co.uk. Website: www.racer.co.uk.
Royal Mail .
Royal Mail Customer Service Centre, FREEPOST, PO Box 740, Glasgow, G22 6WW. Customer service tel: 08457 740740 (Monday to Friday: 8am - 7:30pm, Saturday 8am - 2:30pm). Website: www.royalmail.com.
Scotpost (trading name of Mr Wesley Pollock).
325 Braehead Estate, Bonhill, G83 9NF. Tel: 07940 152507. Email wesp@blueyonder.co.uk.
Secure Mail Services (formerly Special Mail Services Limited).
PO Box 390, Northampton, NN3 6YG. Tel: 01604 782806 . Fax: 08702 642822. Email: salesenquiries@securemail.co.uk. Website: www.securemail.co.uk.
Secured Mail Limited.
Unit 4A, Bechers Drive, Aintree Racecourse Business Park, Liverpool, L9 4AY. Tel: 0870 41 41 600. Fax: 0870 41 41 700. Email: mark.bigley@securedmail.co.uk. Website: www.securedmail.co.uk.
Securipost Ltd
5th Floor, Telford Plaza 2, Ironmasters Way, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4NT. Tel: 0845 331 3145. Fax: 0845 331 3146. Website: www.securipost.co.uk

TNT Post UK Limited .
Unit 1, Globeside Business Park, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Berkshire, SL7 1HY. Tel: 01628 771232. Fax: 01628 770705. Website: www.tntpost.co.uk.
UK Mail .
Express House, Wolseley Drive, Heartlands, Birmingham, B8 2SQ. Tel: 08452 305050 (sales) or 0121 335 1815 (customer services). Email: ukmailsales@ukmail.biz (sales) or ukmcc@ukmail.biz (customer services). Website: www.ukmail.biz.
Wightpost (trading name of Mr Peter Camplin).
34 Hill Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 2QN. Tel: 01983 564086. Email: mailto:wightpost@btinternet.com. Website: www.wightpost.com.
Yellow Jersey Delivery Limited.
PO BOx 4772, Coventry, CV7 7UZ. Tel: 07769 904250. Email: info@yjdelivery.co.uk. Website: www.yjdelivery.co.uk.
Zip Mail Limited.
47 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1RF. Tel: 020 7405 7547. Email: sales@zip-mail.co.uk. Website: www.zip-mail.co.uk.

unfortunatly even though the have a license to do this not one bothers to deliver
they all use RM's system as its far far cheaper for them

[apexblue]

Can anyone recommend courier who doesn't use RM service please?

[custardy]

Originally Posted by apexblue

Can anyone recommend courier who doesn't use RM service please?

any courier you like. the ones i listed are companies with a license to deliver mail (they choose not to)
couriers will deliver a letter for their standard tariff

[cyberbob]

Buy some Pigeons

[mrcol1000]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8297025.stm
Guide to alternatives to Royal Mail. But basically its going to cost so its probably better to wait till after the strike.

[soolin]

Originally Posted by apexblue

Can anyone recommend courier who doesn't use RM service please?

There are courier services on ebay and we have a thread here somewhere about the offers, but you are looking at a minimum of about £6 an item and you'd need to stay at home all day as you don't get a guaranteed collection time.

Realistically there is no alternative to RM for basic routine mail unless you want a much dearer service.

[nrg13]

I'm building up a list of them over on http://www.rubbishroyalmail.co.uk

You can see the 'alternatives' forum here.

Unfortunately, as soolin points out, there is no realistic alternative to Royal Mail for everyday letters.