Policy & Research
Post
Consumer Focus has a statutory responsibility to work on postal issues. Part of this work is to monitor the number and location of post offices in Wales. In addition, we campaign to ensure that the quality of service provided in post offices meets the needs of consumers. We speak up for a fair deal for post office consumers through our work with the Welsh Assembly Government, the UK Government, Local Authorities, Post Office Ltd and the media.
There are always ongoing changes to the post office network: post offices may close or relocate because a sub-postmaster retires or in the event of a flood or fire. These changes are subject to public consultation.
Post Office Ltd’s responsibilities to communicate and consult with its consumers on changes to the post office network now are set out in a Code of Practice agreed between Post Office Ltd and Consumer Focus. The Code of Practice ensures consumers can know what to expect in the event of post office closures, relocations, or if franchise conversions are proposed in their area.
Royal Mail
The way people communicate is changing. New methods of technology have given consumers different ways in which to interact with one another and to access goods and services. As a result, volumes of letters have decreased and those of parcels and packets have increased. To ensure the long term viability of mail services relevant to today and the foreseeable future, Royal Mail must adapt to meet the changing needs of consumers. At the same time it also has to tackle the challenges of greater competition from other mail operators and the implementation of a modernisation programme that is essential to the existence of Royal Mail.
Representing ‘designated consumers’ in relation to relevant postal services is part of the statutory duty instilled on Consumer Focus Wales in the Consumers and Estate Agents and Redress Act (sections 4 and 5, 2007).
Latest News
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Response to stamp price rises
27 March 2012
‘This is not great news for consumers... Unfortunately, the economics of Royal Mail meant that something had to give to maintain the Universal Service Obligation (USO).'
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Post office transformation programme must deliver a reliable and sustainable local network – says Consumer Focus Wales
9 March 2012
Responding to Post Office Limited’s plans for a network transformation programme which will turn 6,000 branches into Post Office ‘Locals’ and ‘Mains’1, Rhys Evans, Deputy Senior Director at Consumer Focus Wales, said: ‘The Post Office network needs to be put on a firm footing for the future, so it can continue to serve the communities [...]
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Half of postcodes fall short of delivery benchmark for first three quarters of 2011
24 February 2012
Royal Mail missed three out of eight first class stamped and metered delivery targets in postcodes in Wales during the third quarter of the year. Llandrindod Wells (LD) 88.9 per cent, Newport (NP) 90.7 per cent, and Swansea (SA) 90.3 percent, all fell short of the 91.5 per cent target for the period from 5th [...]
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Latest Publications
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Staying Local
7 February 2012
From the summer of 2012, many consumers across the UK will see a new model of post offce in their area, known as a Post Offce Local. The post offce network is experiencing ongoing fnancial pressures and, as a result, the UK Government and Post Offce Limited are making major changes in order to increase the sustainability of the network. This report looks at the background to this and the impact it is likely to have on post offce users in Wales, particularly the most vulnerable.
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Post report – March 2011
14 March 2011
For the Quarter 3 period, Royal Mail missed its target of 91.5 per cent for delivery of First Class Stamped and Metered mail in half the postcode areas in Wales (see graph below). This is particularly disappointing as these figures exclude the Christmas period, defined as 6 December 2010 to 1 January 2011, where we [...]
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Post report – December 2010
15 December 2010
For the period July – September 2010, Royal Mail exceeded its targets in all but one Postcode Area. Although the Llandrindod Wells area was marginally below its target, this shows significant improvement on the 83.3 per cent figure in Quarter 1.
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