MSE News: Stamp prices likely to rise as cap confirmed

John_Pierpoint

Originally Posted by John_Pierpoint
Having letter boxes as a standard box at a standard position on a gate post or in the hall of flats (the way they do in USA and France) could save a quid of two?

custardy wrote: »

how would you enforce that?

Remove the obligation to deliver to the front door and replace it with the French system. I've got a French box on a post at the end of my "drive" (track) It is a shame that we don't have the pass key system so the postie can also leave my parcels in it as well.
Introducing the French system would be simple: "provide a box or come and get your post from the sorting office".

Someone from chaotic Ireland explains:

http://irishherault.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/french-postboxes/

cepheus

It sems that first-class stamps only kept place with RPI inflation between 1980 and 1994, then fell behind until 2004 and have only picked up over the last 8 years!

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2121579/Have-class-stamp-prices-really-gone-inflation.html

custardy

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Originally Posted by John_Pierpoint
Having letter boxes as a standard box at a standard position on a gate post or in the hall of flats (the way they do in USA and France) could save a quid of two?



Remove the obligation to deliver to the front door and replace it with the French system. I've got a French box on a post at the end of my "drive" (track) It is a shame that we don't have the pass key system so the postie can also leave my parcels in it as well.
Introducing the French system would be simple: "provide a box or come and get your post from the sorting office".

Someone from chaotic Ireland explains:

http://irishherault.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/french-postboxes/

and do you know the number of addresses where that simply isnt feasible?
removing RMs obligation is the easy bit.
you are suggesting a systm that suits you and is feasible for you

John_Pierpoint

No I am just suggesting it as a solution for the collapse in letters that need to be "first class" and the increase in the internet shopping that results in an increase in parcel traffic.

It is now almost impossible to get a letter and reply to it on the same day, so the Post Office can continue with its head in the sand or try to adapt to the new reality.

France does not always get it right - We went for a canal holiday on a canal that connected to the Seine and from there to Paris. Technically the French had done everything possible to keep the canal in business and failed: It had double locks (ie one up and one down at the same time), side paddles as well as the ordinary ones in the gates, so that the locks filled twice as fast, Electric controls for working the locks in place of muscle power.

However when we got to a huge cement factory, the bulk cement went on a over head system: over the canal , over the railway and then got dumped into diesel lorries.

I wonder if that was something to do with the unionised workforce shutting the locks for two hours at lunch time?

Operating the locks was not complicated - they had given up at some remote locks and allowed the barge crew to do it themselves.
The only traditional commercial barges we found were a fleet of Dutch owned barges collecting French grain and taking it all the way back to Holland.
[I am talking Continental barges, not the narrow boats we get on the canals here, each bargee had his own winch on the deck and a Ford Ka should he need to take to the roads.]

custardy

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

No I am just suggesting it as a solution for the collapse in letters that need to be "first class" and the increase in the internet shopping that results in an increase in parcel traffic.

It is now almost impossible to get a letter and reply to it on the same day, so the Post Office can continue with its head in the sand or try to adapt to the new reality.

France does not always get it right - We went for a canal holiday on a canal that connected to the Seine and from there to Paris. Technically the French had done everything possible to keep the canal in business and failed: It had double locks (ie one up and one down at the same time), side paddles as well as the ordinary ones in the gates, so that the locks filled twice as fast, Electric controls for working the locks in place of muscle power.

However when we got to a huge cement factory, the bulk cement went on a over head system: over the canal , over the railway and then got dumped into diesel lorries.

I wonder if that was something to do with the unionised workforce shutting the locks for two hours at lunch time?

Operating the locks was not complicated - they had given up at some remote locks and allowed the barge crew to do it themselves.
The only traditional commercial barges we found were a fleet of Dutch owned barges collecting French grain and taking it all the way back to Holland.
[I am talking Continental barges, not the narrow boats we get on the canals here, each bargee had his own winch on the deck and a Ford Ka should he need to take to the roads.]

is that post supposed to have a point?
you have made a proposition without being thought through
the idea of changing every delivery point for the UK would be huge.

John_Pierpoint

.......and your solution is ?

I for one would be happy to invest in the French system, a couple less mendacious "While you were out......come and get it" cards [Translation - we could not be bothered to walk up to the house] and I would probably have paid for the cost of the mass produced box.

custardy

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

.......and your solution is ?

I've been posting on RM for years
folks arent interested until it affects them
stamp price rises,oh look everyone is interested

gt94sss2

Royal Mail may have been better off if they had abolished first/second class mail - and just introduced one class of mail - especially given how late deliveries can be due to modernisation.

I wonder if such sharp increases in stamp prices will encourage more businesses to go down the e-billing route...

I know many companies already offer a "discount" for going paper free but wonder what would happen if more companies (i.e. banks) introduced "charges" if you wanted to receive paper statements...

Regards
Sunil

boatman

I suppose having a post box for the street would be no different than having to wheel your bin halfway up the street for the dustman, that way we can all pay just as much or more than we are paying now for a worse service.... Perhaps they should put a tip at the end of every street, or get the postman to deliver milk, collect your rubbish and read your meter... perhaps they could run the street light outside your house on your own electric and still charge you council tax... maybe have a little pile of tarmac at the end of the road so you can repair it...

custardy

gt94sss2 wrote: »

Royal Mail may have been better off if they had abolished first/second class mail - and just introduced one class of mail - especially given how late deliveries can be due to modernisation.

I wonder if such sharp increases in stamp prices will encourage more businesses to go down the e-billing route...

I know many companies already offer a "discount" for going paper free but wonder what would happen if more companies (i.e. banks) introduced "charges" if you wanted to receive paper statements...

Regards
Sunil

late,as in time of day?
under EU mail,they have to offer a cheap basic serice(eg 2nd class and the reason for the price cap)
so abolish 1st/2nd and be forced to offer it cheaply?