Amazon has thrown a curve ball at the planned takeover of Royal by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky by starting trial postal deliveries.
In the pilot, which will take place in the three London boroughs of Hackney, Westminster and Islington, Amazon couriers will push trolleys containing parcels for delivery in areas where Royal Mail postmen are working.
Nicola Fyfe, of Amazon Logistics, said that if the trial is successful, it would be expanded to other UK cities as part of its drive to improve its carbon footprint.
“When you look at the on-foot walker deliveries, and couple them up with our electric bike deliveries and our electric vans – the three of them working together – really helps bring a sustainable delivery solution.”
Amazon said it is also expanding its electric cargo bike deliveries to Belfast and Norwich adding to existing services in London, Manchester and Glasgow.
To get the parcels to areas for delivery, Amazon said it would expand its use of the West Coast Main Line.
Royal Mail is trying to get service obligation (USO) changed from having to deliver six days a week to enable it to compete with new entrants such as Amazon.
The postal group says the USO gives competitors such as Amazon an unfair advantage as they can undercut it in the profitable areas of high populations while leaving Royal Mail to service loss-making rural areas.
Kretinsky has bid £3.6 billion to take over Royal Mail’s parent company International Distribution Services PLC (LSE:IDS) with his first move likely to be trial of a reduced second-class services once the deal is complete.
Shares in IDS were up 0.2% at 364.6p.