He claims he has personally missed two hospital appointments because of the delays
Andy said Royal Mail has been struggling in Leek. (Image: Rui Vieira/PA Wire)
Royal Mail has promised it is 'firmly committed' to improving its service in a North Staffordshire town - after heavy criticism from an ex-postie in the district. Andy Birch Machin says people in Leek are "fed up", claiming Royal Mail is struggling to deliver post on time following a revision in the duty areas officers are having to cover.
Andy, who lives in the town, is now a delivery driver for a pharmacy. However, he worked as a postman for 22 years and says the current crop of postal delivery drivers in the area have spoke to him about issues they are facing.
He claims to have been told postal workers who have taken voluntary redundancy have not been replaced. And that, he claims, has left remaining staff with a bigger workload and a 'backlog' of deliveries. However, Royal Mail, while acknowledging there are delays 'to certain routes', says it is in a 'strong position' in terms of staff numbers in the Moorlands.
Andy said: "It started perhaps six or seven weeks ago. People took voluntary redundancy and they have not replaced the workers.
"I missed two hospital appointments because mail isn't coming through. I knew I had a hospital appointment due, but I was waiting on a letter from the hospital. I was out working and I had a phone call and they told me I should have been in.
"The next day the letter came. I missed it and the letter was dated a few weeks earlier. I felt pretty angry, really, because it costs the NHS as well for me not going to the appointment.
"Some of the lads say they've just been told take parcels one day and then letters the next day. A lot of the people who live out in the rural communities have really been struggling; people saying they haven't had mail for days, then about 20 letters come through the door.
"It's coming to a head; people are getting so sick of it. It used to be a great service and loved doing my job. The revision to (workers') duties has had a massive impact."
A spokesperson from Royal Mail said: "We acknowledge there are some delays to certain routes in the area. When this occurs, the route will be prioritised the following day, helping to ensure any delay is kept to two days at most.
"This is a temporary solution while we work to improve the service. We are in a strong position in terms of staffing levels and are firmly committed to returning our quality of service to the levels our customers in Leek expect. This is our priority."