This just highlights my old beef George about Royal Mail having to abide by certain criteria and the "other" companies not having to do so. Other company picks up post from big companies, sorts out what they want to deliver - i.e. inner city easy ones, then all the detritis - i.e. rurals, etc get dumped back onto Royal Mail who are legally obliged to deliver them, at 4p per item.

companies such as UK Mail, TNT, etc. dont deliver to rurals, islands etc. Royal Mail are not able to compete on a level playing field so they are having to cut staff down to the bone - and at this time of the year that just isnt enough staff to cope with all the extra post, parcels etc. If someone goes sick there isnt anyone else to take out the mail so it doesnt get delivered.

Most RM employees believe that RM is going to go out of business in the end, leaving huge parts of the UK without any postal service at all - thanks to Postcom who have allowed other companies to cherry pick the best work.

Sorry to get on my soapbox about this but living in a rural area, the RM postal service is very important to us - plus the OH beng a postie I get to hear about all this stuff