Businesses will be particularly badly hit by significant increases in the cost of postal services after an Ofcom announcement has allows Royal Mail bosses to set stamp prices themselves.
APA fears that increases, effective from 30 April 2012, could be the death knell for business post forcing more use of online, and often less securable, methods of communication. APA believes this will almost inevitably lead to first class charges becoming unaffordable for many small companies, forcing reliance instead on the far slower second class system.
For individuals it will be even harder as it is the older generation; not known for great online use or understanding, will be left to suffer the higher costs.
APA Director General, Gareth Osborne, said: ‘We think these increases are bad for business, and will ultimately leave smaller firms and personal users – the bread and butter users of the postal service – disadvantaged. The increase in the basic first class rate from 46p to 60p (30% increase) is out of step with all current economic escalators and is totally unreasonable. The knock on effect to businesses that are post-dependent will be horrendous.”
APA asks PAs, who have a routine interaction with postal services, to monitor the effect of the increase closely and report concerns.
APA
APA
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