Postal regulator Ofcom says it shares the 'deep frustrations' of Telford and Wrekin residents over the Royal Mail's 'poor delivery performance'.
Borough councillors shared powerful testimonies of customers who have missed cancer and other hospital appointments as they recently approved a motion calling for action from Ofcom.
An Ofcom spokesperson said Royal Mail is committed to return performance back to the delivery targets by April 2027, and "we will continue to hold it to account."
"As well as fining Royal Mail more than £37 million for failing to deliver what customers expect and deserve, we also demanded that the company publish a credible improvement plan, backed by investment from its owners."
Ofcom says that Royal Mail has committed to return performance back to the regulated targets by April 2027, and to invest £500 million over the next five years.
"While the company is now making progress through its improvement plan, we will continue to hold it to account," the spokesperson added.
Ofcom measures Royal Mail’s delivery performance against nationwide annual First Class and Second Class targets, from April to March, excluding the Christmas period.
"We are currently investigating the company’s failure to meet its delivery targets for 2025/26," the spokesperson added.
"Royal Mail is also subject to targets in individual postcode areas, to limit variations in performance across the UK, and the company’s performance in all areas of the UK contribute to its overall performance against its national targets.
"Royal Mail is required to publish its quarterly and annual performance data, including a breakdown by postcode areas."
In the latest performance data for the TF postcode area in April 2026 the company reported that 68.4 per cent of first class mail was delivered next working day, falling well short of its then target of 93 per cent. Across the year as a whole it recorded a figure of 75.6 per cent.
Ofcom notes that 20 years ago Royal Mail was delivering 20 billion letters in a year. That has now declined to 6.5 billion in 2025 and is expected to fall further in the coming years.
"Royal Mail has lost hundreds of millions of pounds in recent years, and so it must also become more efficient to meet these challenges," says Ofcom
The Royal Mail says it is making progress with more to do.
"We remain focused on improving reliability for all customers through targeted support for delivery offices, strengthened daily performance management and continued investment in our network," a spokesman has told the LDRS.