Consultation on deliveries and collections in Scotland when 2 January falls on a Saturday
Consultation on deliveries and collections in Scotland when 2 January falls on a Saturday
Ofcom has today published a consultation proposing to exempt Royal Mail from deliveries and collections on 2 January in Scotland, when this date falls on a Saturday.
Royal Mail is required to provide a universal postal service, including delivery and collection of letters, six days per week, Monday to Saturday. This obligation does not apply on public holidays.
The 2 January is a public holiday in Scotland. However, when this date falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is usually designated as the official public holiday.
So, in these instances, Royal Mail has asked to deliver and collect letters on the substituted bank holiday Monday instead of the Saturday. We are proposing to grant this exception. Today’s consultation closes on 2 November, and we intend to publish our decision as soon as possible after this.
As the Designated Universal Service Provider (“DUSP”), Royal Mail is required to provide a universal postal service, including delivery and collection of letters, six days per week, Monday to Saturday. This obligation does not however apply on public holidays, which includes bank holidays and any other date which Ofcom directs. These are known as ‘exceptions.’
Royal Mail has requested that Ofcom issue a direction which makes 2 January an ‘exception’ in Scotland, when this date falls on a Saturday. The 2 January is generally a public holiday in Scotland (known as the New Years’ Holiday) although, when this date falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is ordinarily designated as the official public holiday. This would mean that, in the absence of a direction from Ofcom, Saturday 2 January would be a normal working day on which Royal Mail would be required to deliver and collect letters.
Royal Mail has confirmed that, where Ofcom agrees to its request, it intends to provide universal services on the substituted bank holiday (ordinarily Monday 4 January) when it considers there will be much greater demand.
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