TPG satisfies most policy requirements in respect of post offices

In part, OPTA is positive in its assessment of the post office policy pursued by TNT Postgroep NV (TPG) in 2001. TPG complies with the requirements concerning the absolute number of post offices and its relative cover in respect of the categories, ‘the Netherlands as a whole’ and ‘sparsely populated areas’. As yet, OPTA has been unable to come to a conclusion as to whether it has satisfied the requirement that within residential areas a post office should be available to everyone within a radius of 5 km. The report supplied by TPG does not clarify this. It will still need to show this by 1 June 2002. OPTA has also been unable to assess whether the dispatch of international parcels is appropriately arranged.

OPTA has based its assessment on a report provided by TPG, which is not entirely backed up by an auditor’s report or otherwise. In the absence of such reinforcement, OPTA will need to conduct its own investigations in a number of cases in order to assess TPG’s statements.

Distance to post office

The principle embodied in the Postal Act is that everyone should be able to visit a post office, in which all postal services are provided, within a radius of 5 km. There must be such a post office in every residential area which has more than 5000 inhabitants. Although this principle also applies to smaller residential areas, TPG may offer a replacement form of service, if this is not feasible.

In 2001 the Secretary of State made additional arrangements with TPG concerning the post office coverage requirements. There must be a post office within a radius of 5 km in 85% of smaller residential areas, including rural communities, to which one can go for all postal matters. The corresponding figure for the Netherlands as a whole is 95%. TPG satisfies these coverage requirements.

It is not yet clear whether there is a post office within a radius of 5 km in every residential area containing more than 5000 inhabitants. The report presented by TPG does not clarify this. TPG will therefore still need to show this.

OPTA: ‘Assessment before and not after the fact’

Given the social importance of being able to have access to a post office within a reasonable distance, OPTA recommends that the closure of post offices be assessed beforehand and not afterwards. Subsequent assessments offer insufficient guarantees for the level of service.