I WRITE in reference to the so-called Chaos Day as described by WR Lomas in a letter published in the Reporter (Postbag August 18), with reference to the change in postal prices that came into force today. Whilst the new system is undoubtedly more compl

I WRITE in reference to the so-called 'Chaos Day' as described by WR Lomas in a letter published in the Reporter (Postbag August 18), with reference to the change in postal prices that came into force today.

Whilst the new system is undoubtedly more complex, it is not fair to describe the situation as 'chaotic'.

We have had three years to get used to the idea, the Royal Mail themselves have door-dropped every household in the country with an information leaflet not to mention the significant national media coverage the changes have received.

I strongly object to the sensationalist claim propagated by WR Lomas of UKIP that the root cause of this "nonsense" is the EU.

Whilst it is not unusual for UKIP to blame all our ills on Europe in this instance it is this claim that is actually nonsense.

In truth, whilst Royal Mail as a whole has managed a significant transformation from loss to profit, it needs to continue to increase efficiency to keep the loss-making post offices open.

The previous system of postal charging didn't accurately reflect the actual costs involved in handling larger or unusually shaped items that could not be processed by machine, with the result that domestic postal users were actually subsidising the direct marketing industry.

What situation would WR Lomas and the other UKIP supporters prefer - a modernisation of postal prices or for households to continue to subsidise junk-mailers whilst seeing rural post offices close?

Matthew North

Mount Pleasant Road

Saffron Walden