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• Proposed discounts for Royal Mail customers who trunk presorted mail to delivery centres have opened the door to private carriers who want a share of Post Office business.
Last week Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Lilley said he will open the Post Office to increased competition: existing discounts for customers who pre-sort mail will be extended to customers prepared to trunk mail to delivery centres.
Pat Howes, chief executive of Securicor Omega Express, does not expect the Post Office to set up a franchise operation, but he does see opportunities for a consolidation service.
This would allow Omega Express to collect mail from several Post Office customers in one area and trunk it to delivery centres: "It is a service we have offered in Europe for many years," says Howes.