Royal Mail operator Consignia is planning to cut up to 30,000 jobs, a move that may trigger bitter industrial action.

The redundancies, set to be introduced over the next 18 months, are nearly double the number expected and could herald a fresh round of industrial action by Post Office workers - who are already responsible for most working days lost to strikes.

Consignia chief, John Roberts, yesterday told the Commons trade and industry select committee that the cuts would be necessary to meet cost-savings of £1.2 billion by April 2003.

Unions, which currently have a no-strike agreement, have pledged to take industrial action if there are any compulsory redundancies.