Royal Mail suffers Christmas deliveries slump

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postal operator says sorry after only a third of first-class mail was delivered on time in December http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/2 ... ries-slump" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The severe weather at the end of last year hit deliveries of Christmas cards, with just a third of first-class post being delivered on time in December, figures show.

The Royal Mail said despite investing £20m in its biggest programme to deal with bad weather, only 33.7% of first-class post and 76.5% of second class was delivered on time between 6 December and 1 January.

The figures, the lowest since comparable records began, were described as "dismal" by a consumer group.

Royal Mail said the equivalent delivery figures for 2009 were 56% and 91.9%, adding that it planned to apply to the regulator for a special exemption in recognition of the severity of December's weather that led to the decline in service standards at the end of last year.

Mark Higson, Royal Mail's managing director of operations and modernisation, said: "Despite doing everything possible to get the mail through in exceptionally difficult circumstances, we were unable to deliver everything to our usual high standards. We apologise to our customers. We hope they understand how hard our staff worked to ensure as many items as possible were delivered before Christmas."

Royal Mail said 20,000 staff were taken on during the Christmas period and a further 3,000 were taken on as the weather worsened.

Robert Hammond, head of Consumer Focus, said: "While bad weather clearly had a big impact, Royal Mail cannot entirely blame the cold for these dismal results. Many consumers continued to get delayed deliveries until well into January, after any weather-related backlog should have been sorted. We are also aware that there have been problems in locations where Royal Mail has been modernising and this is reflected in the poor performance figures today.

"Local delivery issues suggest the company must work harder at minimising customer disruption from modernisation. Consumers face two more years of this vital programme. It is essential that Royal Mail is clear about the disruption modernisation can cause and communicate better with its loyal customers."

Royal Mail said Christmas deliveries were "very significantly" hit by the severe weather, with road, rail and air services suffering protracted disruption.

[Straight4ward]

Sounds as if Robert Hammond has a better grasp of what's been happening than Mark Higson (no surprise there, then).

[fishtank]

Sounds as if Robert Hammond has a better grasp of what's been happening than Mark Higson (no surprise there, then).

Not if he thinks it only has another two years to go.

[DirtyHarry]

Mark Higson, a right tit, and no mistake.

[labbloke]

please feel free posty to squeeze this one of the forum if it offends

[blue1873]

Mark Higson, a right tit, and no mistake.

sure it was'nt a mistake !!! did you really mean
a right tit or a right GIT

[blue1873]

Mark Higson reckons RM done everything possible to deliver the mail then perhaps he can
explain to me why i'm still waiting on a hospital appointment that was posted on Wed 6th
December and still not arrived,given the weather at the time i could accept a delay but i
live between hospital/mc/do,a journey from collction to delivery of no more than 5 miles
in a city location. was telling my WAM about it and he comes away with "oh that's TNT
that collects that hospitals mail".....it's not it's RM....he then says "it's your postman
to blame" WTF my postman is old school and completely trustworthy.Seems to me that
my manager and Mark Higson have the same problem! they don't know what their talking
about,or they just tell lies. To the letters RM you can now add the letters A D D
Avoid ,Deflect ,Deny!!!! ....................Barstewards

[dvdfin2000]

just saw this and wondered what everyone else thought about this .

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... stmas.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


if in wrong place please move to right section thanks

[Thehair]

But yesterday Royal Mail's managing director Mark Higson admitted: "Despite doing everything possible to get the mail through in exceptionally difficult circumstances, we were unable to deliver everything to our usual high standards. We apologise to our customers."

[blue1873]

But yesterday Royal Mail's managing director Mark Higson admitted: "Despite doing everything possible to get the mail through in exceptionally difficult circumstances, we were unable to deliver everything to our usual high standards. We apologise to our customers."

Yep he's always good for a laugh is old Marky boy

[POSTMAN]

What is even funnier is,how many news stories did we post up during that time where the RM spokesperson said everything was tickety boo.