MP praises new efforts to clear Dundee East mail backlog but

[TrueBlueTerrier]

MP praises new efforts to clear Dundee East mail backlog but says questions remain


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Royal Mail has been warned that it has some explaining to do over the chaos that left thousands of parcels and letters stranded at its Dundee East depot over the festive period.

Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie is seeking answers as to why the new Way Forward delivery model was implemented so close to the Christmas rush and why it has proved so troublesome in the city.

Mr Hosie claims to have received over 120 complaints regarding mail delivery in his constituency and is hoping to raise the issue at parliament today.

Royal Mail has since begun Sunday deliveries to help clear the thousands of items left at the depot, and although this step has been praised by Mr Hosie, he said answers are needed so that there is no repeat of the problems.

"I'm delighted about these Sunday deliveries to help clear the backlog, as that is the underlying problem," he said.

"I hope it's cleared but I'm still not sure quite why this system was deployed at all. In December I had around 60 complaints about mail deliveries and since Christmas I've had even more than that.

"But one thing that should be mentioned, though, and this is very important, is that none of the blame can be attached to individual posties."

Backlog
The depot serving the DD4 and DD5 postcode areas has suffered serious backlogs of mail since November as a result of a new system of working, then the bad weather.

Staff struggled to complete their rounds on time under the new arrangement of sending out teams of staff to deliver letters and parcels from vans.

Mail was sent out to other depots for sorting and returned to Dundee East for despatch by enlarged teams of staff drafted in from far afield.

The emergency action was said to have cleared most of the first backlog, only for the bad weather to arrive and cause it to grow again.

Now Sunday deliveries have been rolled out across the postcode areas to help clear the depot once and for all of undelivered mail.

Mr Hosie added his appreciation for the increase in service, despite continued anger from constituents.

Welcome
He said, "I actually saw some of the deliveries taking place and I have to say that that is very welcome.

"But last week I still had a lot of complaints. There's a great deal of unhappiness."

Royal Mail apologised for any inconvenience caused over the winter, stating that over 200 members of staff had been drafted in to assist with deliveries in Dundee, Dunfermline and Edinburgh.

Paul Kelly, Royal Mail director of operations in Scotland, said, "In some parts of eastern Scotland there has been some disruption to our service. We apologise wholeheartedly for this.

"We are now taking a range of measures that mean households and businesses receive all of their mail.

"For the last six weeks postmen and women have been working in atrocious conditions in some areas on icy, untreated roads and pavements.

"We have been absolutely focused on getting our mail to our customers and we continue to be so."

[Broxi51]

And then what, Mr Kelly?????

[guvenor]

he doesn,t know hasn,t a clue

[blue1873]

he doesn,t know hasn,t a clue

nothing new there then