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High levels of vacancies and Covid-19 absence is to blame for delays to postal deliveries in Andover, Royal Mail has said.
But Michael Hogg, senior public affairs manager at Royal Mail, has said that the situation is “improving” and that there are no outstanding items for delivery.
He added that more postmen and women are being recruited and will be starting “over the next few weeks”.
It comes in a letter to Cllr Phil North, leader of Test Valley Borough Council, which was shared on his Facebook page after concerns raised by residents saw him get involved.
In September, The Advertiser revealed that Andover’s delivery office was shut and deliveries delayed due to a high level of staff sickness, as well as a leak caused by a beehive.
Cllr North wrote to Royal Mail on October 31 after “concerns expressed to me from a number of residents recently about the lack of mail deliveries to addresses in Andover”.
In the response, dated November 10 and shared on Cllr North’s Facebook page on Tuesday (November 16), Mr Hogg said: “I have been in contact with the Andover Delivery Office Manager who has confirmed there has been high vacancy levels and exceptionally high levels of Covid-19 related sick absences recently which affected mail deliveries to addresses in Andover.
“I have been assured however that the position is improving and mail deliveries to addresses in Andover are now taking place six days a week, and there are no outstanding items for delivery,” he continued.
“Should the situation change, and we are unable to deliver on a particular day, a delivery will take place on the next working day.
“To further improve the service we provide from Andover Delivery Office, we are recruiting more postmen and women who will be starting with us over the next few weeks.”
Mr Hogg also apologised for inconvenience caused by the delays.
Earlier in the autumn, the customer service point on Bridge Street was closed with residents unable to collect parcels as the company struggled to get a contractor to remove the nest.
It was causing the roof to cave in and leak, and was compounding postal issues faced by residents as Covid-related absences hit the town’s deliveries.
It reopened last month, although there have been reports of delivery disruptions in the town continuing.
