The second post has been abolished in 14 areas of the UK, as part of a pilot scheme looking at ways to save delivery firm Consignia.

From Monday, homes and businesses in the selected postcodes will only get one delivery a day, with no guarantee that it will be before 9am unless a fee of up to �14 is paid.

Consignia, which has suffered losses of more than �1bn, believes that it could save �350m a year if the scheme was introduced nationwide.

On Sunday it was confirmed that the pilot schemes would go ahead with three price bands instead of a single flat rate of �14 a week, as had been planned.

Strong public reaction to the charge had prompted Consignia to reconsider these charges.

"One of the things we have to do for our customers is we have to deliver some value. And I think that �14 is a lot of money for small businesses," Allan Leighton, Consignia chairman said.

'Common sense'

Under the schemes businesses and individuals that want to receive post before 9am will now have to pay a weekly fee of either �5, �10 or �14 if they get fewer than 20 letters a day.

So many costs are linked to providing daily deliveries that it is the obvious area to look at

Postwatch

Customers receiving more than 20 letters a day will receive their mail before 9am, while others will be delivered by noon.

At present the second post accounts for only 4% of letters delivered but 20% of the postal service's costs.

Gillian Wilmot, Royal Mail's managing director for mail markets, said: "Royal Mail is cutting costs and improving efficiency in a common sense and responsible way.

"We are balancing the needs for a reliable next day service with safeguarding an affordable service for everyone."

'No sacred cows'

Postwatch, the industry regulator has supported the pilot schemes.

Chairman Peter Carr said: "It's quite right for Royal Mail to examine every option to improve its profitability.

"There can be no sacred cows. So many costs are linked to providing daily deliveries that it is the obvious area to look at."

Other cost-cutting measures include redundancy for more than 17,000 workers.

The pilot areas where the charges will be introduced include:

• Crawley, West Sussex
• Bow, east London
• Edinburgh Dell
• Sheringham, Norfolk
• east Manchester
• Llanelli, Wales
• Newbury, Berks
• Newhaven, East Sussex
• Loughborough, Leicestershire
• Halifax, West Yorkshire
• Plymouth, Devon
• Ballymena, Northern Ireland
• Thirsk, north Yorkshire
• St Helens, Merseyside.