AN ENTERPRISING former IT trainer is poised to start his own postal service on the Island.
Peter Camplin, 54, of Hill Street is Ryde has obtained a Postcomm licence to deliver letters throughout the Isle of Wight.
His fledgling firm, 'Wightpost’, would use specially made white postboxes, which he aims to place in shops in Ryde.
He will also sell a range of individually designed stamps and hopes to deliver the mail in a fleet of electric scooters to become the first 'green’ postal service on the Island.
Mr Camplin, who is currently unemployed, is set to hold talks next week with entrepreneurs interested in funding his revolutionary scheme.
He hopes to obtain funding from the Isle of Wight Lottery for the scheme and also aims to obtain grants that promote green businesses.
Initially, Mr Camplin will run the service in Ryde and has already got newsagents in the town to agree to site his Wightpost boxes in their shops.
If the idea is successful, he hopes then to expand into Ventnor and Lake where people have also expressed an interest.
Mr Camplin told the County Press there used to be a postal service within the Isle of Wight, run by the Royal Mail, but the nationalised concern could no longer provide next-day delivery.
He said: "It is primarily about running a green service. You have a letter posted in Ventnor and it has to go all the way to the other side of Hampshire before it comes all the way back to the Island five days later.
"My new service is subject to funding but it could be up and running in a fortnight if that happens."
Reporter: davidn@iwcpmail.co.uk