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CUTTING second class deliveries would be a “slap in the face” for residents says a south Warwickshire MP
Manuela Perteghella, Lib Dem MP for Stratford, has slammed proposals that would allow Royal Mail to significantly cut the deliveries of second-class post, including scrapping Saturday delivery and only delivering during the week on alternating days, saying small businesses will be “dismayed”.
Dr Pereghella claims that residents rely on postal services, whether it’s receiving details of a medical appointment, staying on top of their finances, or keeping in touch with loved ones, and that the proposed cuts would hit rural areas the hardest, where some households already only receive post a few times a week, making reliable deliveries even more essential.
The news comes following months of strain on postal services in Warwickshire, with reports of delayed letters, missing parcels, and mounting frustration among residents. Many small businesses, particularly those that rely on postal trade, would be severely impacted by further reductions in service.
Dr Perteghella told The Observer: “This is a slap in the face for all those who rely on the post. Many residents will be disappointed about the prospect of cuts to postal services, after facing years of ever-rising costs due to mismanagement by Royal Mail executives.
“Many small businesses will also be dismayed by this news. They have already had to endure a crippling National Insurance hike and this would add even more pressure on them.
“We cannot let standards slip even further by lowering delivery targets instead of actually fixing our postal services. These recommendations must be urgently reconsidered.”
Ofcom has proposed changes arguing they would protect features of the post that matter most to people.
Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communication, said: “The world has changed – we’re sending a third of the letters we were 20 years ago. We need to reform the postal service to protect its future and ensure it delivers for the whole of the UK.
“But we’re safeguarding what matters most to people – First Class mail six days a week at the same price throughout the UK, and a price cap on Second Class stamps.”
