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The office on Howarth Road is open between 8am and 10am on most days for people trying to collect missed parcels. Gurch Singh, a Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead councillor, said he thought the hours were a ‘sick joke’ after trying to collect a parcel himself.
He told the Observer: “I headed down there to drop off a package for someone and I was shocked because it was 12 in the afternoon. It’s the sort of time – lunch time – when you can get out. 8am-10am is ridiculous. It beggars belief.”
Royal Mail says new ways of delivering parcels brought in last summer mean fewer people will need to visit a sorting office to collect their missed post. This includes automatic next-day deliveries or the opportunity to have parcels left in a ‘safe place’.
A spokesperson also said the changes to opening times were rolled out last summer. They told the Observerthis is to ‘ensure that resources are allocated to the most appropriate parts of our operation’.
But councillor Singh said people he’d spoken to were unaware of the reduced opening hours in Maidenhead – and were ‘appalled’ when he told them.
Councillor Singh said: “Of the residents I’ve spoken to, not many know about it – but those I’ve shown think it’s some kind of sick joke.
“I’ve seen people complaining about this online but I don’t know how many people in Maidenhead are aware of this. It’s almost like it’s been done under the radar.”
Customer opening hours at the Maidenhead delivery office are 8am-10am on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The office is also open 8am-10am on Thursdays as well as 4pm-6pm. It is open 8am-12noon on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.
Councillor Singh said he thought the reduced opening hours would be the ‘nail in the coffin’ for Royal Mail, as people might turn to other delivery companies.
But Royal Mail claims the vast majority of its parcels are now delivered on the first or second attempt, meaning fewer people need to visit the office.
The spokesperson said: “At Royal Mail, we understand the importance some customers attach to customer service points as one of a number of ways in which they can access our services.
“In May this year, we also introduced automatic redelivery of parcels the next working day across the UK for customers who are not at home when postmen and postwomen attempt to deliver the first time.
“Over 99 per cent of parcels are now successfully delivered to customers on the first or second delivery attempt. This is reducing the need for customers to collect parcels.”
