Christine Buckley

14 June 2010

Mr Darrell Herd Freedom of Information Unit 2nd Floor By email: [email protected] Royal Mail Sheffield Pond Street Sheffield S98 6HR

[email protected] www.royalmail.com

Dear Mr Herd,

RE: Freedom of Information Request

I am writing in response to your request for information received 17th May 2010 which has been considered under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You requested the following information:

 Please could you provide me with details of OPG hours for 2009/2010 year?  Could you also update me in full with your plans for automation of mail in the Huntingdonshire (St Neots, St Ives, Huntingdon delivery offices) sector of the PE postcode area?  Could you also tell me what plans if any St Neots has to switch to the new van based method of delivery of mail.

In relation to the first point of your request, please find the relevant information in the attached table. It is important to stress that the reduction in hours over the last financial year has come at a time when overall mail volumes fell during the 12-month period by 7.3%, the steepest fall we have seen since mail volumes began falling from their peak in 2005. Smaller mail volumes last year were accompanied by a fall in Royal Mail’s revenue and we continue to do all we can to run our operations as efficiently as possible while delivering the best possible service to our customers. It’s also worth noting that the decline in mail volumes in the UK is a phenomenon seen around the world.

In response to the second and third points of your request, precise information is not yet available, however the sequencing of mail in the Huntingdonshire sector is scheduled to

Royal Mail Group Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered number 4138203. Registered office: 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ.

Cont… take place in Quarter 3 of 2011/2012 and new delivery methods are planned to be deployed in St Neots during mid 2012. These changes are part of a major modernisation programme across the whole of Royal Mail, and dates may change due to operational, commercial and technical reasons. As we move forwards more precise information will be provided to those affected by the changes.

I hope that this information has suitably answered your request. If for any reason you are not satisfied with this response, you do have the right to request a review. If you wish to do so please set out in writing your grounds of appeal and send to the Head of Information Compliance, Royal Mail Group, Company Secretary's Office, 100 Victoria Embankment, LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ. An internal panel will then review the decision, and you will be advised of the outcome.

If you decide to appeal and are still not satisfied with our response you also have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF Telephone: 01625 545 700 www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Kate Fearn Freedom of Information Case Officer [email protected] Enc: OPG hours for 2009/201

Royal Mail Group Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered number 4138203. Registered office: 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ.

Cont…

Data on the reduction of OPG hours for 2009/2010

Gross Hours Cumulative 2009/10 Royal Mail Operations 291,268,308.313 Peterborough Mail Centre 1,288,320 PE Postcode Delivery Units 3,188,957 Total Hours in the PE Postcode 4,477,277 DELIVERY CLUSTER 536,441 HUNTINGDON

2009/10 Gross Hours Reduction Compared to 2009/09 Royal Mail Operations 18,535,447 Peterborough Mail Centre 80,046 PE Postcode Delivery Units 151,131 Total Hours in the PE Postcode 231,177 DELIVERY CLUSTER 40,045 HUNTINGDON

Percentage Gross Hours Reduction 2009/10 Compared to 2008/09 Royal Mail Operations 6.0% Peterborough Mail Centre 5.8% PE Postcode Delivery Units 4.5% Total Hours in the PE Postcode 4.9% DELIVERY CLUSTER 6.9% HUNTINGDON

Royal Mail Group Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered number 4138203. Registered office: 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ.