DORSET residents could face a hike in charges for parcel deliveries during the Olympic period.


Some delivery firms are introducing surcharges covering much of Dorset during the games, with charges to the official Olympic site costing £25.


Among those introducing a surcharge is leading delivery firm DPD, which is charging £1.95 for all deliveries to the DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4 and DT5 postcode areas and a £25 charge for deliveries to the official ‘lockdown’ area at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and Olympic Village.


The charges will apply between July 30 and September 8.


Other firms introducing additional charges during the games include City Link and Interlink Express.


Bruce Mead, of Monmouth Road, Dorchester, bulk buys specialist cat food and described the Olympic pricing scheme introduced by delivery companies as ‘cheeky’.


He said: “We found out because one of our cats has a special diet and we bulk order it.


“It gets delivered by DPD and they sent us an email saying they are going to be charging £1.95 to deliver during the Olympics. It’s a bit cheeky for us living in Dorchester because it’s not going to take any longer to deliver here than any other time of year.


“It’s just like other businesses that are taking the opportunity to put up prices during the Olympics.”


Mr Mead added: “So I’ve already bulk-ordered my cat food for the Olympics in advance!”


A spokesman for DPD said the firm had invested £1.3million in its network to maintain its level of services during the games but was not able to absorb all of the costs arising from deliveries to areas where there was likely to be ‘extended disruption' during the Games events.


He said: “We have therefore introduced an Olympic surcharge of £1.95 for each consignment delivered into those areas, which includes the DT postcodes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.


“DPD is unable to access the ‘lockdown venues’, since they will be closed to all general traffic.

 
“All deliveries made to ‘lockdown venues’ will be security screened and delivered by the official logistics supplier UPS.


“These parcel deliveries will incur a surcharge of £25 per parcel – £20 of which is a fixed-security surcharge and £5 of which is a UPS parcel delivery charge.


“These are the rates charged by UPS, and DPD will simply pass them on.”