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Royal Mail accused of 'chronically poor' service as letters arrive late
Last updated at 08:07am on 12.12.06
Britain's postal service is "chronically poor" in many areas with millions of letters and parcels lost, stolen or damaged each year, an influential group of MPs will warn today.
Large areas of the country, particularly urban areas, are forced to put up with a very poor service, according to the report.
The damning Committee of Public Accounts attack comes at a fraught time for the Royal Mail.
On Thursday, the Government is expected to wield the axe, leading to the closure of up to 3,000 of the country's 14,400 Post Offices.
Since Labour came to power, a quarter of the Post Offices which were open in 1997 have already been shut down.
In his attack, chairman Edward Leigh, a Conservative MP, raised serious doubts about the level of service which many customers receive.
He said: "Given that people are now receiving their mail later in the day and that over 15 million letters and parcels are being lost, stolen or damaged in a year, it is pretty clear that the interests of ordinary users of the post are not an absolute priority."
The report does not "name and shame" the parts of Britain with the poorest service but does single out London as one blackspot.
Latest performance figures from the Royal Mail show first class post is worst in Peterborough, Blackburn & Burnley, Perth, North London and Falkirk.
The target is for 93 per cent of first class post to arrive the next working day, but it fails in all these places.
The MPs, which took evidence in July, also criticised the postal regulator Postcomm for failing to adequately monitor the situation.
The report said: "Postcomm should research why some postcode areas persistently experience the lowest levels of service.
"[It should] press Royal Mail to develop a strategy for addressing these chronic problems over the current price control period [2006-2010]."
Mr Leigh said: "You would expect that a new regime for the quality of postal services would aim to improve collection and delivery times and reduce the number of pieces of mail lost by Royal Mail.
"If so, you would be mistaken."
But the Royal Mail last night attacked the MP's findings, claiming it was based on out-of-date information which does not fairly reflect the company's recent performance.
A spokesman said: "It is absolute nonsense to suggest anything other than Royal Mail's quality of service is at record levels.
"Its performance is among the very best in Europe and its prices are among the very lowest."
For the first time, an impressive 94.5 per cent of all first class mail arrived the next working day, the best figure since records began in 1988.
But critics say Royal Mail has been helped by changing final collection times to as early as 6.30am, and not delivering post until lunchtime.
The radical changes mean that replying to a letter, such as a bill, by "return post" is almost impossible for people in country communities.
Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, urged ministers to take "swift action" to help Royal Mail.
He wants the Royal Mail to be allowed to give shares in the Government-owned company to its workers to motivate them and encourage loyalty.
He said: "Giving employees shares in their own business would help deliver the improvements that will be necessary to beat off the new competition."
Reader views (5)
I work for the Royal Mail and am amazed by the shoddy way many people address their letters and parcels. Lots of people don't bother using the postcode and expect a sorter to be able to guess where their mail is going, so I'm not surprised if their mail is delivered late. Here are some examples of items I've sorted this week: parcels wrapped in flimsy tissue paper which fall apart; packages with no address at all; packets with an incorrect address and no return address; perishable and delicate items sent in a paper wrapping instead of a sturdy box (e.g. fresh fish, fruit cake). Yes, it's true, some people will wrap a fresh salmon in brown paper and post it! Less than half a per cent of Royal Mail items are lost or damaged. Postal workers try very hard to get the mail out, even damaged items like the fish and the fruit cake.
- Linda, London, 14/12/2006 10:54
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As a Central Sorting Post-code (CM1) town I am saddened that despite technology and a sorting office the size of three football fields I never get my post before Mid-day. Odd, since long before the days of "high speed" processing and compulsory Post-codes, I used to get my Post at 07:00; ironically one of the reasons why I moved to Chelmsford.
Perhaps the so-called managers and business advisors should be sacked and more true postmen (sorry post-persons) employed instead of extending the routes that the person used service by dropping of mail in to sub-distribution points.
Come on Government and Royal Mail Directorship; stop ripping the clients off, resign and let real postmen/women do their jobs.
- Christopher Richards, Chelmsford United Kingdom, 12/12/2006 22:10
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Perhaps if people addressed letters properly with proper post code and clear writing then more items could get through.
- Lee, UK, 12/12/2006 14:45
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Meanwhile, in the name of security, the government is forcing us all to send more driving licences and passports around than ever - passports and driving licences that stand a high chance of being stolen.
- Gb, London, UK, 12/12/2006 12:50
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I think Royal Mail provide a very good service, at least to my area. They never failed to deliver my whopping Council Tax bill or indeed any other bill. And some of the letters I receive are so badly addressed that I'm amazed that they are delivered at all!
If only my MP, Karen Buck, was 10% as helpful as my postman...
- Jihn Smith, London, UK, 12/12/2006 10:09
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