Britain's Royal Mail said Friday it will stop moving mail by rail to cut costs.
Mail trains will be phased out beginning in July and stopped altogether next March. Post will then be distributed by air and road, ending rail's use after 170 years.
The move will save $140 million annually.
About 10 million items of mail are transported by rail, or 14 percent of the daily 82 million items delivered in Britain.
The Rail Maritime and Transport Union claims the move will eliminate 500 jobs. It has asked the government for assistance in the issue.
