Six-day post to stay despite Royal Mail hive-off

Post will continue to drop through Britain’s letter boxes six days a week, despite Royal Mail’s impending multi-billion-pound privatisation, the industry regulator said today.

Ofcom ruled that the universal postal service, which covers six-day deliveries, next-day post and first-class and second-class stamps, will continue despite fears that cost-cutting ahead of privatisation would lead to postmen being given a day off on Saturdays.

The watchdog also said it was protecting against the removal of post boxes in remote rural areas.