At a Glance
- Local residents face ongoing issues with Royal Mail services, including missed deliveries and delays.
- Vital items such as medications and official letters have been delayed or lost.
- Royal Mail fined £21 million by Ofcom for failing to meet targets.
- Survey results show overwhelming dissatisfaction among users.
- MP David Burton-Sampson is actively campaigning for improvements in postal services.
MP’s Column by David Burton-Sampson
MP for Southend West & Leigh
Email: david.burtonsampson.mp@parliament.uk
I know only too well how many of you are suffering from a poor postal service. Missed daily deliveries are a thing of the past.
People are telling us that hospital appointments, bank cards being held up and birthday greetings delayed are only some of the problems reported to me. Examples of difficulties include vital medications going missing for long periods and delayed post with important information from agencies such as the Department of Work and Pensions.
Some people have even had to collect bundles of mail from their local post office themselves. It is simply not good enough.
I brought the Royal Mail team face to face with angry residents to hear for themselves the dissatisfaction with their service. Improvements were promised, but progress has been patchy. Like the government, I am also committed to a comprehensive universal service obligation.
I met with the Business Minister, Blair McDougall, and told him of the issues here in Southend West and Leigh. He asked for feedback from a survey. Here are the findings from people who have responded so far:
- 89% said the postal service remains poor or has become even worse.
- Just 10% reported noticing any meaningful improvement.
- The most commonly delayed items are second-class post, NHS letters, and first-class mail.
- The vast majority use the postal service regularly.
- Most respondents described themselves as dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the service.
- Not a single respondent said the current service is acceptable.
Ofcom fined Royal Mail £21 million last year for failing to meet its targets and instructed Royal Mail to urgently publish and deliver a credible plan that delivers major improvements.
This is a damning indictment of the service we are receiving. It cannot go on. I will be reporting the findings to the Minister and to Ofcom and will continue campaigning until we get the services we rightfully should have.
David Burton-Sampson meeting the Business Minister, Blair McDougall