Rural postal service is failing to deliver

[Stormproof]

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Parish representatives met their MP and Royal Mail bosses to ask why they are getting a second class postal service.
The 23 parishes are all in Mr Patrick Mercer’s Newark and Bingham constituency.

There were complaints of an erratic and sometimes non-existent service.

Mr Nigel Lawrence, a Rushcliffe borough and East Bridgford parish councillor, said postal services were an issue in his village.

“With few exceptions councillors who represent towns like Newark or Southwell were happy with the postal service they received. Those of us who represent rural areas were not,” he said.

“We have an erratic and quite late service with deliveries any time between 11am and 3pm.”

Mr Lawrence said town deliveries were much earlier than 3pm and he rarely received on time anything that was meant to be next day delivery.

“Why are we being treated like we are in a remote place?” he said.

“If the post is undeliverable because there is not enough postage or it is too big it is taken back to Aslockton which is open 9am-1pm Monday to Saturday.”

Mr Mercer, who hosted the meeting at the Conservative Association offices in Newark on Friday, said: “It seems that it is the rural areas where the service can sometimes be very erratic and sometimes missing a day or days.

“Sometimes one side of a street can get a delivery and the other not and that, it seems, is down to the way the rounds are set up and where postcodes change.

“It is clear to me that an increase in parcels and package deliveries and a reduction in the amount of letters being posted is putting Royal Mail under particular pressure.

“I am a frequent visitor to the Newark Delivery Office for all sorts of reasons and I have seen the packages and parcels stacked up.”

Mr Mercer said the situation was complicated by uncertainty over privatisation and resources were stretched.

“There is a lack of vans,” he said. “Gone are the days when there were spares waiting in the yard that could replace a broken-down vehicle or make an extra run, and there is a shortage of people too.

“Postal services are becoming less and less predictable and the service more fragmented.”

Mr Mercer said he had received an assurance from Royal Mail’s head of external relations Mr Mike Dalton, and its collections and delivery sector manager, John Cuomo, that the service would improve.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Mr Dalton said: “It was a very constructive meeting. There were a number of concerns expressed.

“We have given a commitment to look at the issues raised and, where appropriate, take action.

“There have been instances in the past 12 months where the service has not been up to the standard it should have been.

“However, we do believe that things have improved or are improving.

“We are more than happy to take away all that was shared with us and learn from it.”

[steven100]

2nd class service, they aren't have hopefull!!!!!!!

[Phantom]

2nd class service, they aren't have hopefull!!!!!!!

What?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

2nd class service, they aren't have hopefull!!!!!!!

I think he meant:

"A 2nd Class service, they aren't HALF hopeful to be expecting that"