Arfon MP calls for review of Royal Mail amid ‘huge backlog’ in Caernarfon

THE MP for Arfon has called for an urgent review of the Royal Mail postal service after letters and parcels being delivered to Caernarfon were “delayed by weeks”.

Hywel Williams spoke during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday when he urged the UK Government to carry out a review of the resilience of the Royal Mail as Covid-19 outbreaks amongst frontline staff cause severe disruptions to its services.

A recent coronavirus outbreak at the sorting office in Caernarfon forced nine staff to self-isolate, causing significant disruptions to postal services in the town and surrounding areas.

“Important letters, packets and parcels in the Caernarfon area have been delayed by weeks by a Covid-19 outbreak amongst postal workers,” Mr Williams said.

“The Prime Minister will I’m sure join me in wishing these workers a speedy recovery.

“But what steps has his government taken during this health crisis to ensure that the once world beating, but now privatised Royal Mail is sufficiently robust to fulfil its duty to the public?”

Mr Williams said he has been contacted by constituents who are worried that they will miss a letter confirming a vaccine appointment.

“Frontline postal staff have been working incredibly hard throughout this pandemic, ensuring deliveries and collections are maintained with as little disruption as possible,” he said.

“But Covid-19 is having a big impact on the resilience of the service in parts of Arfon, with workers off sick, and others forced to self-isolate. This has inevitably led to a huge backlog in letters and parcels.

“I know that some of my constituents have concerns that they will miss out on their Covid-19 vaccinations, though I have now been reassured that alternative ways of reaching people are in place, such as by phone or through community health workers.

“However, people are understandably anxious, and with more people working from home, maintaining the resilience of the postal service should be a priority for this government.

“The government and the Royal Mail must as a matter of urgency come up with more robust plans so that we don’t face the same issues should frontline staff be off work again in the future.”