Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Alan Reid (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Thursday, 22 November 2007 on behalf of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Royal Mail (Isle of Mull)

Question: But just last month, Royal Mail stopped sending the mail to Mull on the first ferry of the day. That means that it is being delivered to customers throughout the island two hours later that it has been for many years. The daily newspapers are also affected, meaning that they do not arrive in the shops until about midday. Will the Government, as the owners of Royal Mail, investigate this and demand that Royal Mail give to people on Mull the same service that until last month they had enjoyed for many years?

Answer: I am afraid that the issue to which the hon. Gentleman refers is not so much to do with postal services as with European legislation on transport. The reason why this is happening is that new legislation requires that all vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes, including those operated by Royal Mail, must travel at no more than 56 mph. That is the cause. It is not so much to do with Royal Mail as with the speed limits on the trucks that carry the mail.

Secondary information