Keeping the Public Posted

30.04.09

A giant 20-foot high post box will make its way across the country in a 12-week campaign aimed at overturning the government’s plans to sell off Royal Mail, starting next Tuesday 5th May.

The huge red pillar box will tour the nation’s towns, cities and beauty spots along with a giant seven-foot postcard. Starting at John O Groats on 5th May the postal icons will visit the coronation stone of Scone, the Giant’s Causeway, Blackpool Tower, York Minster, Mount Snowdon, Stoke’s potteries, Cambridge’s punts, the oldest post box in London, Guildford Festival and Stone Henge, along with dozens of towns and cities along the way.

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: “Royal Mail is an iconic British service epitomised by the public’s affection for post offices, post boxes and holiday postcards.

“Postal workers are at the heart of communities the length and breadth of the country, ensuring we all receive our mail six days a week. This service is not profitable in rural locations or for the majority of social mail such as cards and letters. But this is a public service and public services are worth more than their balance sheets.

“Privatisation would threaten services, push up costs for customers and could lead to job losses and further post office closures. Royal Mail is worth more to the government in full public ownership than broken up and sold off.

“We have a first-class postal service in the UK with cheaper costs than most of Europe. Privatisation would be a financial and political disaster so let’s keep the post public.”