A THORNBURY postal worker has issued a fresh warning over delays at Royal Mail.
The individual, who works for the postal business in the South Gloucestershire town, claims every office at the service is now understaffed and parcels are being prioritised over ‘unprofitable’ post.
It comes as problems with postal delivery in the town continue to be reported - months after Thornbury and Yate MP Claire Young told of ‘ongoing issues’ with mail in the towns in the lead-up to Christmas 2025.
A Cleve Wood householder noted their eight-year-old child - who is facing open-heart surgery - missed a cardiology appointment because the letter was held onto for a fortnight.
The Thornbury postal worker, who asked not to be named and called for the government to help tackle the issue, said: “I have been a postal worker for many decades and watched from inside the slow destruction of this once-brilliant public service.
“This has been an ongoing problem that started with privatisation and shows no signs of stopping.
“We are operating with rounds that can’t be completed in time.”
The postal worker argued there are ‘physically’ not enough people to deliver mail.
“We are now in a situation where every office is running understaffed,” they said.
“This is while parcels are prioritised over mail, which is not profitable to the service.
“Mail just builds up.
“We physically don’t have people to deliver it.
“If Royal Mail ever decided to prioritise mail instead of parcels, every office would be full to the ceiling in days as the thousands of parcels keep flowing in every day.
“On a single busy Christmas day, we start running out of room to put them all.
“Anyone can see this is a long-term strategy by the service to remove or degrade mail.
“It will continue to do this unless the government steps in.”
The Cleve Wood householder said online that mail has been delivered ‘initially once a week and now once every two weeks’.
They added it has been ‘annoying to have delayed deliveries of things I needed’ and ‘infuriating to have birthday cards for my kids not turn up’.
“My eight-year-old missed a cardiology appointment because the letter was held onto for two weeks,” they said.
“She will be facing open-heart surgery.”
A Park Farm householder added their post was ‘hit and miss’.
“I had some vouchers delivered to use, but they were two days out date and expired as the letter was a couple of weeks late,” they said.
Issues are also being reported in locations near Thornbury, including Wickwar.
A Wickwar householder, who asked not to be named, said they had no post between Friday, April 10 and Tuesday, May 12.
“We were waiting for travel insurance because we’re due to go away in a fortnight’s time,” they said.
“There’s no ‘royal’ about Royal Mail anymore.”
The postal worker said postal workers in the area are being put ‘in a hard place’.
“We are expected to do multiple staff members’ rounds every day, with volumes of parcels that allow no time for mail-delivery once completed,” they said.
“The local management are not to blame.
“Either their hands are tied and they are not allocated new staff, or they are allowed to reduce round sizes to improve the situation.
“They just do the best they can, as do we.
“Before privatisation, we had checks and balances.
“Rounds would be timed and checked to make sure they were achievable, so all mail would be delivered daily.
“That was taken away with privatisation.
“Year on year, rounds were removed and remaining rounds made larger to absorb them.
“Since that time, Royal Mail has been reducing staff levels nationally and has removed all agency support and extra resources.”
Commenting on problems with post in the Thornbury area, Ms Young said: “I’ve had scores of cases which we have worked on related to this issue across the constituency.
“Some people have missed vital medical appointments because confirmation letters have arrived after the date of the treatment.
“Late delivery of post is an issue that has been going on for far too long, and it is unacceptable.
“Given the inadequate response from Royal Mail, I wrote to Ofcom, the body that regulates postal services.
“They told me they can’t deal with individual cases, something I raised with the minister in the House.
“Ofcom must be given the powers to hold Royal Mail to account.
“Despite following up in writing, I am still awaiting a response from the minister.
“This situation is not the individual postal worker’s fault.
“Royal Mail needs to urgently address staff shortages.”
Royal Mail has been contacted for comment.