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The Royal Mail is reportedly mulling over completely stopping deliveries on Saturdays in a huge shake-up.
But the proposals from the service have been met with widespread fury from some, amid claims the changes would represent a big blow to anybody reliant on post.
By law, The Royal Mail must deliver six days a week – but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it stopped all weekend deliveries earlier this year.
Since then, Saturday post has restarted, but owing to a rise in e-mails and changing customer habits, now there are plans afoot to stop deliveries across the weekend entirely – for good.
Keith Williams, interim executive chairman at the Royal Mail Group, said in a letter to staff: “These findings tell us the best way to ensure the ‘universal service’ continues to meet our customers’ needs is to rebalance our service model more towards the growing parcels market, particularly urgent parcels, and urgent letters.”
But people have not reacted well to the news, with Jan Shortt, of the National Pensioners Convention, leading the criticism.
Jan said: “Older people, particularly those living alone, as well as other vulnerable groups unable to access online services, will be the most affected by this decision.
“Like those delivering milk and other goods to homes across the country, postal workers are also the eyes and ears of communities, making sure that those known to be alone and vulnerable are staying safe and well.”
Jan added: “Older people, more than any other group in society still rely on the post as their preferred method of their communication.
“Royal Mail may see this as a necessary cost cutting exercise and that one day out of six without post is insignificant, but we would ask them to consider those living alone and that receiving a nice letter, card or parcel on a Saturday morning actually gives them something to look forward to and sees them through until the beginning of the week.”
