Delays in the delivery of cross-border post

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Cross-border postal services have been criticised by a UK-based consumer watchdog.

In a new report, the Consumer Focus Post group warned that the delays in the delivery of post across the border were failing people across the island of Ireland.

A study by the Consumer Focus group revealed that it took an average of between two and three working days for mail posted in the South to arrive at its destination in the North.

As a result, the watchdog is now calling on An Post and Royal Mail and their respective regulators, ComReg and Postcomm, to work together to improve the standard of the service.

Highlighting the importance of the cross border postal service both socially and economically, the body found that members of the public were concerned at its unreliability.

Criticising its current performance for being 'unambitious', Consumer Focus said that the service was not meeting the expectations of businesses and consumers.

A quarter of those surveyed in the North did not know how long it took for mail to cross the border and 70% did not know the correct postage for sending mail to the Republic.

Among the watchdog's recommendations are closer co-operation between the two main postal service providers to improve delivery times and an affordable next day guaranteed delivery product.