Gwent | Archive | 2003 | April | 4
From the South Wales Argus, first published Friday 4th Apr 2003.
POSTMEN could soon be delivering newspapers to isolated Mon-mouthshire homes thanks to a pioneering Royal Mail scheme.
An informal system where some postmen delivered papers to rural homes on behalf of several newsagents was banned by the Royal Mail in February, leaving many residents with a long journey to get a newspaper.
Newsagents claimed their business would suffer and that they paid the postmen directly. The Royal Mail said it could not provide such a service for free.
But after a meeting of the Central Area Monmouth Committee, which was attended by Royal Mail representatives, a possible solution emerged.
Paul Kelly, the Royal Mail regional general manager, announced plans for the first project in Wales to deliver newspapers in remote areas.
He said: "There will now be a Royal Mail contract for the delivery of newspapers in rural areas and it will be out of our supporting rural communities initiative."
He will meet newsagents over the next six weeks to discuss a commercial contract. He is due to report back to the Central Area Monmouth Committee in six weeks.
The Royal Mail said the scheme could roll out across Wales if successful. Committee chairman Councillor Bill Price said: "I congratulate the Royal Mail for listening to usand actually doing something about it.
"I think it is a great initiative. "Rural communities have suffered considerably because of economic factors beyond our control so the Royal Mail must be congratulated."
AM David Davies, who told Royal Mail of residents' complaints, said: "It's tremendous news.
"It goes to show that it's important to challenge decisions by large organisations. "I doubt they would have done this if it hadn't been for the publicity highlighting residents' concerns."
© Newsquest Media Group 2008