The future of the Post Office

This morning's television news reports that some local post offices are to close, being replaced by something called "PO Local", based in pubs and other centres of communities (like, er, Post Offices used to be). This news item prompts a more fundamental question though. Does the Post Office have a future? Every Christmas the Post Office complains that the technological advances of things like email mean that they carry less and less post. They never recognise, though, that the growing popularity of internet shopping means they are delivering far more parcels than ever before.

I must admit that I have done some internet shopping this Christmas but with it comes a problem. The postal deliveries are based on social behaviour from an earlier time when housewives stayed at home and were there to receive parcels. That doesn't happen any more - Royal Mail please note. So on two occasions now I have had to go to my local delivery office to collect a parcel. Queuing behind 35 people on the first occasion (visit aborted after not moving for 15 minutes) and 28 on the second, I was surprised that only one window was open. "Well it's lunchtime" was the response when asked by another customer (most were too scared to ask any questions for fear of contravening the vast number of notices threatening police action if you made anything like a criticism of the staff).

Perhaps parcel post should now be taken away from Royal Mail and allow market forces to fight to provide the best service. Why not allow UPS, DHL, HDN or Fed Ex do all the deliveries with a commercial tie up with a high street outlet where you can collect your parcel easily. You would have thought the Post Office might have come up with that idea by now...but no, you still have to trudge to some office located for the convenience of the corporation, rather than the consumer.