Calls for Royal Mail to be held to account over Bucks post delays

A Buckinghamshire MP has demanded Royal Mail be held to account over issues in her constituency. Sarah Green said people living in the Chiltern area of the county had been experiencing ongoing issues with post.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Chesham and Amersham said one person in the area had missed hospital appointments, while another ended up in arrears after a delay in a bank card arriving. Now the MP has demanded the postal service be held to account.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Green said: “One elderly constituent missed two long-awaited hospital appointments as the letters did not arrive until after the appointments were scheduled. Another told me that they ended up in rent arrears and debt after a delay in the delivery of a bank card. The same constituent was left without any form of identification as they waited for a new driving licence and the other identity documentation to be returned to them.”

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“I understand why Ofcom decided to grant an exemption to Royal Mail’s universal service obligation, but the level of service we have been left with in places has been completely unacceptable. A few days’ delay is one thing; a month’s is another. If exemptions are granted, there should be an obligation to clarify what is and is not acceptable.

“Holding Royal Mail to account is desperately needed. The hard-working postal workers I have spoken to are not responsible for the backlog they are trying to clear.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “While the vast majority of mail is delivered safely and on time, the impact of the rise of Omicron had a particular impact during Christmas and January, with approximately 15,000 staff members off work due to sickness and self-isolation at one stage. Thankfully, the situation has significantly improved.

“The number of offices we have reported as being most impacted by service issues has reduced from 77 to none, as of Thursday 21 April 2022. We apologise for any delays that our customers may have experienced.

“We are working hard to equalise performance and improve service, including spending over £340 million on overtime, additional temporary staff and sick pay, as well as providing targeted support. Our postmen and women are continuing to work incredibly hard, as they have done throughout the pandemic, and we are thankful for all of their efforts and determination.”

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