Royal Mail was today slammed amid allegations that postal chiefs have sidelined Christmas post to prioritise – JUNK mail.
An enormous backlog of more than 40,000 letters has gathered since sweeping changes were introduced to sorting offices last month.
Thousands of people have been left without vital deliveries such as doctors appointments, business letters and Christmas parcels.
Outraged residents have criticised the situation after one postman admitted that junk mail was prioritised because it is ”more valuable”.
The worker from a depot in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks., said: ”It’s a complete mess. The junk mail leaflets are taking priority over the mail at the moment due to the fact they make a lot more income.
”Bosses have hired more staff to deal with the work but it’s simply too much. Instead we’re having to leave out letters, even those that are marked first class.
”The situation is improving but it’s a still a mess. Some people might not get their cards this Christmas but they’ll definitely get a flyer for the local take-away.
”Before the changes not one letter would be left. But after the changes there are up to 200 more calls. We’re delivering what we can but bring the rest back.”
The problems started on November 8 when postmen across Warwickshire were given longer rounds with more letters.
But they claim that they were not allocated enough time to make all the deliveries.
Those letters that were undelivered were returned to the office where they were left until the next day.
Furious residents have now flooded local MP Nadim Zahawi with complaints that vital parcels and deliveries have not arrived.
Mr Zahawi said: ”I have sent a letter to Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene after receiving an unprecedented number of complaints from constituents including missed medical appointments and delays to vital business post.
”I am very concerned about the delivery issues that Royal Mail appear to be experiencing and the lack of a real explanation from the organisation as to why this situation has occurred.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said: ”As part of Royal Mail’s modernisation across the country, changes are being made at a number of delivery offices in the area.
”When any such major change is implemented, some disruption is possible as we adjust to new ways of working.”
Where the hell is my post, a little bit of snow and this country goes to the dogs. We are fund raising for a children’s hospice and have a large christmas fair on tomorrow and 15 items ordered last week from ebay are still in the post somewhere. B******S
i’m also waiting for post including some items off e-bay, roads are clear so where is it? i’ve managed to get to work and back every day. B******S.
Before commenting “roads are clear where is my mail” try putting brain in gear and understanding your mail does not just go down your road. Not ALL roads are clear “BASTARD”. We don’t enjoy mail being delayed and we dont enjoy having to walk around with twice as much for hours and hours in the snow and as for it being a little bit of Snow try opening your eyes a bit further than your nose the whole country is struggling not just Royal mail IDIOT
fairplay mate my local postman works hard too just like most posties I think but the sorting office and management are really letting your company down. I think about 99% of my junkmail goes straight in the bin but only about 5% of my letters go in the bin so prioritising junk mail over normal post is a joke maybe we should all get tracking numbers and swarm our local sorting offices to get our letters ourselves as soon as we see it reaches a sorting office that will teach them to sort junk 1st. No ones a bastard except the one being greedy for income (the person who chose junk mail over normal letters and parcels
It’s the RM managers at fault, not the poor old postie who has to walk 8 miles with a 35lb back pach and a hernia. Lets get that straight before be label anyone a ‘Bastard’.
Its not just royal mail who’re having issues. My catalogue order was split over 2 days when I paid for a set day delivery, without telling me, so when half didnt turn up I called them and they said there were delays. It came the next day. Also living on a large hill with a toddler and a leg injury means I’ve only been out once in the past week, so I do sympathise with people who have outdoor jobs.
What I dont understand is that I’m being informed I have important letters in the post, yet in a week I’ve had 1 delivery from the postie and it was just junk pamphlets, not even addressed. I did see the ch 4 program that looked into sorting offices and if what went on then is still going on now then we can forget getting parcels on time if at all regardless of the weather. I also wonder why no company has ever rivaled Royal Mail, offering the same door service as I’m sure they’d soon be back to their best if there was a competitor, but as it stand there isnt so they can and will do what they like.
All in all while Royal mail absolutely has faults, the fault also lies with local councils not getting the gritters out where needed.
Things will get much worse in the near future. Remember, your new Lib Con Government wants your public services to cut upto 40% of their budgets. I guess you will have to make do without any Council gritters, less ambulances to transport those who slip on icy surfaces and less nurses and doctors at your central A&Es (which will be 20 miles away) to treat you. Good luck!
At the end of the day it’s the job of The Royal Mail to deliver post so do your job Royal Mail and deliver it. I don’t care how far you have to walk or how much you have to carry – we all have situations at work to which we have to adapt to and find that extra gear once in a while. The job is well paid in comparison to many other of a similar skills level and bad weather is nothing new to postmen – that’s a lazy excuse and they know it. (I noticed the UPS man happily walking down paths making deliveries mmmmh?)
As for the management – what idiot decided the Xmas period would be an ideal time to implement major changes at sorting offices across the country? Who is this person and why haven’t they been sacked?
On a final note – we are paying customers paying for a service we are not getting, in any other situation people would be taking legal advice about this.