Postcomm issues modified licences to Hays and TNT

25 July 2002

Following consultation, Postcomm today issued modified postal licences to Hays Commercial Services and TNT UK Ltd.

The modifications to the companies’ current licences will allow them to carry out a wider range of activities for their existing business customers in the event of industrial action by Royal Mail workers or an emergency or a natural disaster.

Hays will be able to increase the amount of mail it is allowed to carry for customers of its document exchange and Mailine services in the event of a dispute or disaster.

TNT holds two licences to provide mail services to two financial services businesses. The modification to one of these licences will enable TNT to provide extra business-to-business mail services for a limited number of contracted business customers.

Notes for Editors

The changes to the licences automatically allow Hays and TNT to provide mail services in the event of 24 hour official industrial action that involves three or more mail centres. The services may be provided for a period of 14 days or three times the length of the official industrial action, whichever is the longer.

For disruption which falls outside these criteria -- such as unofficial industrial action -- Postcomm would need to make a determination before extra mail services could be provided, and would consult Postwatch, the consumer watchdog first. A determination from Postcomm would also be needed to trigger extra mail services in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.

Hays’ Mailine service delivers packages and documents to travel agents, opticians, insurance companies and the like.