OFCOM faced criticism yesterday for keeping the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in the dark before announcing that Royal Mail could be allowed to end the delivery of second-class letters on Saturdays.

The regulator, which is also investigating whether to permit second-class deliveries to be made on alternate weekdays, said the proposed changes the universal service obligation (USO) mandate would help cut costs for Royal Mail.

“If we decide to propose changes to the universal service next year, we want to make sure we achieve the best outcome for consumers,” said Ofcom group director for networks and communications Lindsey Fussell.

Royal Mail’s owner, International Distribution Services (IDS), which is in the process of being bought by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky for £3.57 billion, said that “change cannot come soon enough.”

But Citizens Advice interim policy director Tom MacInnes warned that, as the company has failed to meet its targets for half a decade, the USO “clearly doesn’t protect consumers as it should,” adding that reforms should not “just be a disguise for cuts that prioritise saving Royal Mail money over providing a good standard of service.”

A union spokesman said: “It is clear Ofcom is now completely unsuitable to be the regulator for one of the UK’s key pieces of infrastructure.

“Once again they have given advance notice of their press release to Royal Mail, but the CWU and our members knew nothing of the timing of this planned intervention.”

He added: “The absolute priority of the regulator right now should be restoring quality of service, which is current 13 per cent below the agreed Ofcom targets.

“Royal Mail has a resourcing and staff retention crisis and we will not allow this to go unreported. The government cannot sit behind Ofcom either.”