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Weekend deliveries from Royal Mail could become a thing of the past in a change to how the service operates.
The scrapping of Saturday services is said be under consideration from the company in a move which would make Covid-19 steps a permanent fixture.
Some deliveries were put on hold at the height of lockdown earlier this year in a bid to keep the service moving if staff fell sick or had to isolate.
Under the law, Royal Mail must deliver post six days a week, but an exception was made for the pandemic reports BirminghamLive.
Saturday post has begun again but in a letter to staff from the interim executive chairman of Royal Mail Group, it was hinted they could now become a thing of the past because of the rise of email and changing customer habits.
Keith Williams told workers in the letter: “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.”
Concerns have been raised the move could further isolate those who rely on traditional post, particularly some in the elderly community.
Jan Shortt, of the National Pensioners Convention, 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.”
