Last post.?

[Kenn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8004284.stm

Am I being too simplistic here?
I have been following this story and it does n't make sense unless Royal Mail are going to withdraw the postal service too.
Is they are not, then they will still have to use a vehicle, employ a driver,pay fuel costs,road tax and the like. With that in mind, surely the conveyance of people in isolated communities makes more sense especially as the routes obtain a subsidy and that means some of the cost is nulified.
Perhaps I studied an out of date form of economics and am not up to today's thinking on such matters!

[celtic lass]

it doesnt make sense withdrawing the post bus but in saying that who in their right minds would live out in the wilds without any kinds of transport to get you from a to b that makes no sense if thats where they want to live let them crack at it im sure neighbours would have cars etc they could help out each other its not up to royal mail to provide transport maybe they should have a mobile shop for that areas like i said who would live out in the wilds without any transport

[shazzap]

Do they charge you to use the post bus?

It will cost more for them to take passengers and their shopping then to just carry mail, as there will be more weight which means more fuel and then the insurance premium.

[EDDIE]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8004284.stm

Am I being too simplistic here?
I have been following this story and it does n't make sense unless Royal Mail are going to withdraw the postal service too.
Is they are not, then they will still have to use a vehicle, employ a driver,pay fuel costs,road tax and the like. With that in mind, surely the conveyance of people in isolated communities makes more sense especially as the routes obtain a subsidy and that means some of the cost is nulified.
Perhaps I studied an out of date form of economics and am not up to today's thinking on such matters!
I think its really up to the council for that and are to be resposible for the routes and should subsidise the post office to run that route

[Kodiak]

The answer is quite simple. It is the Extra cost that the Post Bus generates that is the Problem.

Most of the Post Busses need to be replaced and the cost of a Post Bus, with extra and seperate seats for passengers is quite a bit more than just a Post Van. Also the running cost of a Post Bus is Lot more than just a Van, I.E. Extra Fuel and Extra Insurance for passengers etc. plus new regulations of who can and can not drive a vehicle with paying passengers. Made every Post Bus just too expensive to operate.

The money that Royal Mail generates from running the Post Bus does not cover the Extra Cost and due to this they make a Large Loss. Before you say Subsidy, Royal Mail can not claim this as they are not a recognised Bus Company. Since Royal Mail is being told they have to cut costs by the government and become profitable, they had no choice but to stop the Post Bus Service.

This has been known that this was going to happen for quite some time, I myself have known since before Christmas last year. It is as usual the Media reporting it in such manner that makes it look like no one knew anything about the withdrawal of the Post Bus, this is not the case.

[telfordstar]

it doesnt make sense withdrawing the post bus but in saying that who in their right minds would live out in the wilds without any kinds of transport to get you from a to b that makes no sense if thats where they want to live let them crack at it im sure neighbours would have cars etc they could help out each other its not up to royal mail to provide transport maybe they should have a mobile shop for that areas like i said who would live out in the wilds without any transport


Jeepers am outa breath reading all that in one :lol::lol:

The grammer police will be after you!!!!!!!

[Gronnuck]

it doesnt make sense withdrawing the post bus but in saying that who in their right minds would live out in the wilds without any kinds of transport to get you from a to b that makes no sense if thats where they want to live let them crack at it im sure neighbours would have cars etc they could help out each other its not up to royal mail to provide transport maybe they should have a mobile shop for that areas like i said who would live out in the wilds without any transport

Some people live where they do because they choose to or have always done so. Not everyone wants to live in a town! People then may not drive for a variety of reasons, disability, age etc. They may not wish to, or have the resouces to move to somewhere with more or better amenities.
Over time they may have become dependant upon the Post Bus or neighbours with cars but this doesn't make them bad people!
Your comment comes across as a little mean spirited and thoughtless but I hope it wasn't mean that way.

[cazmanian_minx]

Our local postmistress started a petition to try and save the Thurso - Tongue one. It got nearly 500 signatures, last I heard, and Jamie Stone and John Thurso raised it in both Parliaments. As far as I understand it, at least for that route, there's a mail-only collection that goes round the route later in the day, so Royal Mail saw a way to economise by only having one collection in the afternoon rather than one late morning/lunchtime as well.

It's a shame, it was a useful service.

[Fran]

I can remember the Thurso-Tongue ...via Skerray....post bus running since i was a child. Not many people had cars in skerray and they relied on the post bus to bring out their prescriptions etc. they paid a fare to get to thurso to go to the bank, post ofice etc., and then come back again. it was the highlight of their week. i used the service a lot too. itis sad to see it go and i think it is terrible to leave old people and disabled people without their transport to the shops. Dont know what they will do now. I expect someone will start up a private mini bus service.
The post bus will still be running to deliver the mail in the area, so it seems a bit silly to stop passengers .

[poppett]

Sad to see this lifeline being taken away. Should be encouraging schemes which allow folk who have lived all their lives in the country without private transport to continue to do so. The government`s latest idea is to keep the elderly in their own homes and not in residential care, so the postbus scheme which is well used should be allowed to continue.