The Highlands of Scotland IS mainland Britain!

shotgunshand · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:34

You know what has always infuriated me? Inflated postage costs when you live in Northern Scotland.

Now I completely understand if you live remotely in the islands of Scotland you could expect to pay a little extra. I dare say no one would really argue that point. That said, if you live centrally, in a CITY... you'd not expect to pay a premium as you were classified under the same banner as if you were on a far flung island!

I have returned to Inverness for family reasons and once again I get the joy of this issue.

I remember once having a full on argument with an online computer component reseller - not OCuk but one of its competitors that often get mistaken for ebay - that Inverness was actually OFFSHORE!

I explained that it was onshore and was a city in the mainland UK. This didn't seem to matter though. Their advertisement clearly stated "FREE delivery to mainland UK" and yet they refused to honour this in the case of Inverness. I should have pursued it but I was moving down South and really hadn't the time. I vowed never to use them again following the shabby treatment I was given and I happily found OCuk.

What say you good people of the forum? Would you consider Inverness -a city of more than 56,660 inhabitants in mainland UK - a remote location rightfully deserving of an additional premium to have items posted to it?

Strife212 · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:37

It's probably quite difficult for the delivery people to get past hadrians wall.

Biohazard · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:38

No.

I don't think the highlands should pay some of the highest fuel prices in Europe either.

"I remember once having a full on argument with an online computer component reseller - not OCuk but one of its competitors that often get mistaken for ebay - that Inverness was actually OFFSHORE!"

:rolleyes:

ThomasTheTankEngine · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:45

Are we talking postage, or courier prices?

For courier companies it's perfectly undstandable. If they're based in the south, and don't get much work in the Inverness region, then it's going to use up a lot of fuel driving from their northernmost depot to Inverness.

If we're talking Royal Mail, then I agree with you completely, they shouldn't charge a premium to deliver to any cities on the mainland.

Cosimo · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:45

Strife212 said:
It's probably quite difficult for the delivery people to get past hadrians wall.

It’s something to do with finding the place and getting there safely.

Biohazard · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:48

jimbob27 said:
Are we talking postage, or courier prices?

For courier companies it's perfectly undstandable. If they're based in the south, and don't get much work in the Inverness region, then it's going to use up a lot of fuel driving from their northernmost depot to Inverness.

Most large courriers are UK wide, and at worse are situated as low as the central belt up here.

jimbob27 said:
If we're talking Royal Mail, then I agree with you completely, they shouldn't charge a premium to deliver to any cities on the mainland.

The royal mail also discriminates this way.

Ahleckz · 14 Apr 2011 at 17:50

Yes, Inverness is mainland Britain and is of reasonable size that it shouldn't cost more to get your parcels.
Surely most courier companies would put their parcels onto a plane/train to Glasgow (or wherever a big depot is) and then send them out from there. It's not like one bloke is driving up from Stoke, in a Transit, with a solitary motherboard in the back.

ThomasTheTankEngine · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:02

Ahleckz said:
Yes, Inverness is mainland Britain and is of reasonable size that it shouldn't cost more to get your parcels.
Surely most courier companies would put their parcels onto a plane/train to Glasgow (or wherever a big depot is) and then send them out from there. It's not like one bloke is driving up from Stoke, in a Transit, with a solitary motherboard in the back.

Yeah, but that's the thing. If a companies northernmost depot is in Glasgow.. Glasgow to Inverness is still over 100 miles drive. If they're making that drive with only a few deliveries each time..... it's understandable you have to pay more.

Biohazard · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:05

jimbob27 said:
Yeah, but that's the thing. If a companies northernmost depot is in Glasgow.. Glasgow to Inverness is still over 100 miles drive. If they're making that drive with only a few deliveries each time..... it's understandable you have to pay more.

It won't be, Aberdeen is large and the oil capital of Europe.

Most will be based there, we are just talking worst case for southern firms.

Then there are firms who have mutual contracts so they can take up more work.

It is merely profiteering at the expense of communities.

I don't see Cornwall suffering the same problem if I send from the Highlands or Edinburgh??

placeholder · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:06

jimbob27 said:
Yeah, but that's the thing. If a companies northernmost depot is in Glasgow.. Glasgow to Inverness is still over 100 miles drive. If they're making that drive with only a few deliveries each time..... it's understandable you have to pay more.

The cost increases when more than one courier is used.

You dont have a courier driver going from Glasgow to Inverness with a small box, if the courier stops in Glasgow it will be passed to one that has links in Glasgow and inverness and they finish it.

Ahleckz · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:07

jimbob27 said:
Yeah, but that's the thing. If a companies northernmost depot is in Glasgow.. Glasgow to Inverness is still over 100 miles drive. If they're making that drive with only a few deliveries each time..... it's understandable you have to pay more.

I disagree, the entirety of mainland UK should be covered (especially by RM) and the costs should be covered. Perhaps there's a case for suggesting it isn't unreasonable for customers to occasionally expect a slight delay whilst enough packages are amassed but they shouldn't have to pay extra.
Also, I'm sure many couriers have contracts in place with each other (and the RM) that allow for parcel sharing to minimise long trips with little mail.

Biohazard · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:11

Ahleckz said:
I disagree, the entirety of mainland UK should be covered (especially by RM) and the costs should be covered. Perhaps there's a case for suggesting it isn't unreasonable for customers to occasionally expect a slight delay whilst enough packages are amassed but they shouldn't have to pay extra.

I think that would be the best idea.

Then you could allow a justifiable market in faster delivery for a higher cost, especially taking into consideration the Isles.

PhilthyPhil · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:16

Biohazard said:
The royal mail also discriminates this way.

No it does not. Postage prices are the same for everywhere in the UK. Yes Royal Mail does also offer a small number of courier type products which do price by destination but standard mail does not.

Pete.Dakota · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:27

You wouldn't be complaining if you weren't Scottish.

Sorted.

Biohazard · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:28

PhilthyPhil said:
No it does not. Postage prices are the same for everywhere in the UK. Yes Royal Mail does also offer a small number of courier type products which do price by destination but standard mail does not.

Area 1 – England, Wales and parts of Scotland, excluding Highlands and Islands. (This area is made up of all postcodes not mentioned in areas 2 and 3)

Area 2 – The Highlands and Islands of Scotland. (Postcodes IV, HS, KA27-28, KW, PA20-49, PA60-78, PH17-26, PH30-44, PH49-50, ZE)

Area 3 – Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Isles and Isles of Scilly. (Postcodes BT, IM, TR21-25, GY, JE)

Lopéz · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:36

We classify "Highlands" (for rating purposes) as :

* IV - all postcodes
* KW 1-14
* PA34, PA37-39
* PH19-26, PH30-40, PH49-50
* PH41 sector 4

We do not guarantee these areas for next day delivery (though a huge number do make it next day)

Dave M · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:44

You live in a beautiful part of the world, part of the reason it's so beautiful is there are less people and less people mean higher per unit costs for those who do live there. What you are asking for is all delivery firms to have a 'universal service' obligation similar to the Royal Mail where by deliveries to outlying regions are subsidised by the more populous areas.

Bus routes used to be like this, now you're lucky to get one bus a day in the countryside. It's not progress but it's the way things are going. If anything I think you're more likely to lose the universal service on Royal Mail than for it to be mandated to other companies.

Castiel · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:44

Is it not simply because of the remoteness of the location and the logistical difficulties in delivering there?, and as Telescopi says the unit cost would be higher as the demand is lower.

The same with fuel prices, and other commodities. Just because there is not an expanse of water in-between doesn't mean it is easily accessible.

Castiel · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:47

Telescopi said:
You live in a beautiful part of the world, part of the reason it's so beautiful is there are less people and less people mean higher per unit costs for those who do live there. What you are asking for is all delivery firms to have a 'universal service' obligation similar to the Royal Mail where by deliveries to outlying regions are subsidised by the more populous areas.

Bus routes used to be like this, now you're lucky to get one bus a day in the countryside. It's not progress but it's the way things are going. If anything I think you're more likely to lose the universal service on Royal Mail than for it to be mandated to other companies.

Bus services used to publicly owned and regulated, now they are not. (London notwithstanding)

Unless unprofitable routes are subsidised by local authorities then they are discontinued.

That is privatisation for you.

Biohazard · 14 Apr 2011 at 18:48

Castiel said:
Is it not simply because of the remoteness of the location and the logistical difficulties in delivering there?

With the Isles yes, not the 'larger' mainland urban centres.

Logistically it isn't much harder than getting in a van and driving. With the Isles, the only logistical consideration would be ferry times and costs.

Castiel said:
The same with fuel prices, and other commodities. Just because there is not an expanse of water in-between doesn't mean it is easily accessible.

It is relatively easily accessible especially from the N/E, it has roads and motorways in parts.

There is no justification in the higher fuel prices in the highlands.