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On Wednesday, Royal Mail published an updated list of areas where there is “acute service disruption,” cutting the number of places affected from 28 to 21. But the firm has been accused of underreporting the true severity of the situation, and should face penalties, say MP’s.
Ofcom, which regulates the Royal Mail’s universal postal service, dropped their annual delivery targets back in March because of the pandemic, but told the Telegraph it is “continuing to monitor their performance carefully.”
Last year Ofcom fined Royal Mail £1.5m for missed delivery targets in 2018/19 and could take further action at the end of the financial year, in April.
“Royal Mail are not any other retail business, they are a regulated public service and that’s for good reason,” said Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich & West Norwood, where services have been severely impacted.
“I think my constituents would understand not getting Saturdays, but there is an enormous gulf between not getting a delivery on Saturdays to not getting deliveries for a month at a time.
“The response from Ofcom has been really disappointing so far. The universal service obligation should be restored with a proportionate approach taken to penalties.
“They shouldn’t be penalised for missing Saturdays, but where there are areas where post isn’t being received for weeks at a time, medical appointments are being missed, and vaccination letters are now at risk, of course the regulator should be taking action against the serious failure of a vital public service.”
