Post Mortem

Is the massive price hike the beginning of the end of post offices? The Green Party is opposed to the massive hike in postage stamp prices.

The Post Office is to raise the cost of stamps on 30th April. First class stamps rise to 60p and Second class to 50p. These substantial price increases are yet another Coalition anti-business measure with a huge impact upon small firms.

As small firms compete for internet-based business, the cost of postage is a critical factor in the continuing recession. As with its infamous ‘pasty tax’, the Government has not thought this through. How are pensioners, often without access to email, to cope with such huge increases in postage costs on top of energy and food price increases?

Experience of privatization of the railways and water demonstrates that privatization means more expensive not more efficient. Southeastern trains is reported to be the most unpopular rail franchise in the country and Southern Water is losing about 35 billion litres of water a year when we are in a drought.

The solution to the very real problems of the Post Office cannot be more redundancies, increased pressure on postal workers and privatization. We suggest re-opening Post Offices, including as co-operatives in urban and rural communities.

Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas MP has proposed a link between Post Offices and credit unions, in order to increase awareness of, and access to, affordable credit.

According to the Communications Workers Union, over 1,000 UK Post Offices were either closed or put up for sale in 2010 alone. Local closures are already leaving many without adequate access.