Royal Mail delays in Barrhead leave residents waiting weeks for post

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https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/26298 ... eeks-post/

A councillor has issued a plea to Royal Mail amid serious worries over ongoing delays to postal deliveries across Barrhead.

Cllr Chris Lunday says he has been contacted by “a number of residents” who are “extremely concerned” about the issue.

Many have also taken to social media to voice their frustration about the “sporadic” nature of deliveries, with some saying they have been waiting weeks, or even longer, to receive mail.

In two of the cases shared, one resident said they had not received any post since May, while another said they had still not received letters that were sent out after Christmas.

The problem is said to be especially bad in Auchenback, where one resident said they were waiting on letters from the hospital and had previously received a letter after their appointment date.

Cllr Lunday said: “Many people rely on timely post for important communications, including hospital appointments, medical information, bills and other official correspondence.

“Any disruption to that service can have serious consequences, particularly for older residents and those who may be vulnerable.”

Fed up with the unreliable service, it is understood that a number of residents have been going down to the Barrhead Delivery Office, on Cross Arthurlie Street, to collect their mail.

"While I appreciate the challenges that Royal Mail and its staff may be facing, residents are understandably frustrated that they are having to travel to sorting offices to collect mail or are left uncertain about when important letters will arrive,” added Cllr Lunday.

“I would urge Royal Mail to provide clear information to customers about the extent of the disruption and what steps are being taken to restore a reliable service as quickly as possible.”

The councillor for Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor also encouraged any residents experiencing significant difficulties to get in touch so that concerns can continue to be highlighted and raised with the appropriate organisations.

In response to the concerns, a Royal Mail spokesperson said that they are “continuing to deliver mail across Barrhead and Auchenback”.

They further stated that, at times, individual deliveries may be affected by short-term local issues, including sickness absence, and, where this happens, their teams work to clear any outstanding mail as quickly as possible.

“We know how important reliable deliveries are, particularly when people are waiting for hospital appointments, medical information, bills or other important letters,” added the spokesperson.

“Where there is local pressure on the operation, we may need to deliver the most time-sensitive items first, which includes first class and medical letters.

“Any items not delivered that day are prioritised for delivery the next working day.

“Nationally, more than 92% of all letters arrive on time and over 99% arrive within a week.

“Improving reliability remains our priority, and we have published an improvement plan setting out the steps we are taking to provide a more consistent service for customers.”