Royal Mail will be slower - but must lift its reliability

ROYAL Mail has been granted permission by the communications watchdog to slow down first and second-class letter deliveries as part of a cost-cutting measure.

- SIMON HUNT

As of the end of July, Ofcom's new regulations will permit Royal Mail to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays from Monday to Friday, rather than six days a week.

The proportion of first-class mail that must be delivered the next day will be reduced from 93% to 90%, while the percentage of second-class mail delivered within three working days will be cut from 98.5% to 95%. Despite these changes, Ofcom maintains that these figures remain high by international standards.