Unfair Highland postcode charges petition - urgent

[deirdreh]

Hi,

I just received this from a friend on Skye. If you think the additional charges for receiving packages in the Highland postcode areas is unfair and needs to be looked at please sign the e-petition below and forward to your networks before Friday 31st October.

The petition by Chris A Ferne reads

'Petition by Chris Ferne calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to investigate whether economic, business and social development is being constrained by the charges levied by some courier companies delivering to areas of Scotland such as the Highlands and Islands.'

Chris's backround info -

'The economic and social development of the Highlands is being hampered by inflated delivery charges levied by courier companies. On-line retailers are having to impose extra charges on orders to Highland addresses ranging from a few Pounds to - in one case I can confirm - as much as £220.

Whilst this may be reasonable in the case of remote mainland or island communities, it most definitely is not in the case of areas bordering and to the east of the A9 corridor. Certainly, Royal Mail is able easily to deliver mail from Sutherland to and from English counties overnight - in fact, usually faster than they deliver from one English county to another.

The defined areas for the imposition of these additional charges are specious and now outdated by the current Scottish communications infrastructure; they should be withdrawn or redefined.'


http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.u ... tionID=274

Sign the petition before Friday 31st October

[Ticketty Boo!]

I work for a major electrical contracting firm. We have several worksites in Argyle, Invergarry and Inverness. We buy from suppliers all over the UK. In many cases, the cost of transporting materials is greater than the cost of the materials themselves.

Some suppliers will deliver FOC as we are good customers. One in particular is the only UK supplier of an item we have to buy. Therir definition of "additional delivery charges" is a line drawn from Kirkcaldy, to Perth, to Glasgow, and they hit us with "Outer Isles" surcharges for anything North (Or South if Kintyre!) of that line.

In the more remote sites, the goods from several different suppliers are dropped off by the same carrier in the same lorry, at the same time. Some have been delivered free, some at standard cost, and others at a premium cost! Who can work that one out for me?