VAT exemption will be abolished under a private RM

[Broxi51]

Any plans to privatise RM will see price rises of 8-9p on a first class letter
due to the abolition of any vat exemption that RM currently enjoys.

Currently the price of a first class letter is 41p but when you add the
vat which is to be raised to 20% then you are putting hte price up to
49p or 50p.

The Government will not be allowed by Europe or the other private couriers
to allow the vat exemption to continue.

Just another kick in the teeth for Granny Smith who voted in the Condems
to make the UK a fairer place for all

[baldrick]

If RM is privatised, and treated as any other private mail company, would the vans still be allowed to
park on yellow lines when delivering and collecting mail as we are now, or would the drivers or company
be liable for parking fines?

[Broxi51]

If RM is privatised, and treated as any other private mail company, would the vans still be allowed to
park on yellow lines when delivering and collecting mail as we are now, or would the drivers or company
be liable for parking fines?

Would have to be the same rules as other private firms. The Gov cannot be allowed to be seen to favour
ny private firm over another.

[baldrick]

As the City of London (and most other city centres) is virtually covered in yellow lines, it would cost a fortune in parking fines.
If the company expects the drivers to pay the fines, they aren't going to have anyone who will want to be drivers.

[Broxi51]

As the City of London (and most other city centres) is virtually covered in yellow lines, it would cost a fortune in parking fines.
If the company expects the drivers to pay the fines, they aren't going to have anyone who will want to be drivers.

Perhaps all private courier firms can get together and talk to the city councils or perhaps it's another way to try and eliminate a universal price.

[DGP1]

As long as the USO remains then the VAT exception will remain but I can imagine that any privatised company will fight to get rid of the USO.

[POSTMAN]

Parcelforce have the parking problem cause they lost the crown,oh well s**t happens thousands of CDV's and thousands of parking tickets.

[fmrPOSTIE]

Any person on USO business can park on yellow lines, so Royal Mail will still be allowed as they will still be doing the USO.

[plainpat]

Any person on USO business can park on yellow lines, so Royal Mail will still be allowed as they will still be doing the USO.

Is this the case?

I alway understood Royal Mail drivers have to follow the law the same as any other driver on the road. In other words where there are loading/unloading times signposted alongside yellow lines, we are not exempt from those restrictions. The police/parking wardens may turn a blind eye if we are engaged in legitimate business, but if requested to move on by them we have to obey. When a one way street on my last round was changed to two way, and acquired yellow lines in the process, I enquired with my local police what would happen if i continued to park there to deliver. I was advised that they may, or may not, challenge me and request I move on, but if by parking thus I was the cause of any incident or accident then they would throw the book at me.

I chose not to

POSTMAN (or TBT): I did try to download the Drivers Manual from here:

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=11961

but it looks like it has been moved on the CWU site - maybe you can re-link it

[danielquilp]

The VAT exemption is already being withdrawn for many services from 31 Jan 2011, inc. contract customers, some international mail and ALL Parcelforce products. The new prices will give an idea of what a VAT inclusive Royal Mail tariff would look like. It is a mistake however to conclude that prices need rise by 20 per cent if VAT becomes chargeable, as there will be many supplies on which Royal Mail itself is paying VAT and these amounts become reclaimable. I believe the biggest of Royal Mails` costs are outside the scope of VAT ie. wages, so there would a substantial extra cost, and customers would have to pay.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

There is a list which RM updates at http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/cont ... =118600981" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;