Royal Mail blasted after residents on Portsmouth estate do not get mail delivered for weeks

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/business/c ... #gsc.tab=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail blasted after residents on Portsmouth estate do not get mail delivered for weeks

A PENSIONER has blasted the Royal Mail after saying people have been left ‘upset’ and ‘concerned’ with mail deliveries not arriving through the post while others receive their daily post as normal.

The ‘inequality’ taking place on the Highbury Estate, Cosham, has raised concerns that some residents are not receiving important mail - including bank letters or post from loved ones who are unable to see relatives during the coronavirus pandemic.

Trudie Fewings, who lives in Edgerly Gardens, told The News that houses at the top of the estate were still receiving mail but other properties, especially those on side roads, were lucky to see deliveries every fortnight.

Yet despite complaints to the Royal Mail, problems continue to affect households on the estate.

The 78-year-old said: ‘The mail on the estate seems to be completely biased or erratic. It is getting ridiculous.

‘I had to wait 13 days for an important letter from the bank and that was only after complaining.

‘When it came it was with a pile of mail that should have been delivered during previous weeks. Since then I have had nothing and there are quite a lot of items I am expecting.

‘I realise things are difficult at this time but I don’t understand why certain parts of the estate are getting regular deliveries whilst others are forgotten.’

Ms Fewings said others in a similar situation have complained but have struggled to get to the bottom of things.

‘When I complain to Royal Mail they say they will look into it but nothing seems to change. Others have complained and got nowhere too,’ she said.

‘The inequality of some receiving mail and others not is strange. It is starting to get on my nerves.’

She added: ‘I’m not the only one - it is upsetting other people who have not received mail from family or for children’s birthdays.

‘A lot of people can’t get out and rely on their mail.’

Other people have reported delivery problems since the coronavirus lockdown with the Royal Mail revealing the pandemic has taken its toll.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘We are working hard to deliver the most comprehensive service we can to all our customers in challenging circumstances. Despite our best endeavours, it is possible that some areas of the country may experience a reduction in service levels due to coronavirus-related absences at their local mail centre or delivery office.

‘We always endeavour to keep our customers as informed as we can of any changes to our services. We have a dedicated section on our website https://www.royalmail.com/coronavirus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.’

A statement on the company’s website says Royal Mail has taken measures to counter the ‘severe absence levels’ including ‘changing the time guarantee on Special Delivery and deploying non-operational managers in delivery’.

Additional overtime for staff and a ‘very significant investment in protective equipment’ has also been introduced.

[worktotime]

probably trying to save money .

[UNION JACK]

probably trying to save money .

Exactly,this is what they are doing in our office,saving money,someone has their hands in the pie,ofcom should fine them, a blatant attack on the USO to fill their pockets.

[WASD]

I haven't seen a manager on delivery this whole CV time. Yet rounds not going out, and work levels are extremely uneven.

[deltaforce]

It’s always that important letter from the bank that they are waiting for. When things are operating as normal it’s “ all you bring me is crap”

[Navalron]

It’s always that important letter from the bank that they are waiting for. When things are operating as normal it’s “ all you bring me is crap”

We are still due a decent service! End of story. We are sending out letters (37/1/f) which is 1st class RM handled from pickup to house and not downstream access, dated from 4 th June and they have still not arrived. In fact the contract for DWP (mail handling sites) is due up soon and there is now not much difference in TNT or 1st class RM. And this was like this over the last 14/16 months so nothing to do with the virus. I know your only get about 51 pence due to DWP being a massive post bag but more and more is going downstream and they are picking up RM work and dropping it off at nearest mail centre's. Does the union know, or even care about a RM driver getting done out of hours. PROBABLY NOT.

[Sir Henry]

If part of a walk is done on overtime the o/t whores will only ever take the easiest bits and NEVER do the accompanying d2ds.
Sounds like these folk are on the more difficult part of the walk.

[Pumpernickel]

Same has been happening in our office.

No paired working, heavy walk, large numbers of parcels, staff sick/isolating/furlough/whatever without enough cover (especially when any cover is trying to do a fulltimers job x2 on part time hours in an area they aren't familiar with).

It tends to happen on walks that people will not cover on OT due to the nature of those walks.

[deltaforce]

It’s always that important letter from the bank that they are waiting for. When things are operating as normal it’s “ all you bring me is crap”

We are still due a decent service! End of story. We are sending out letters (37/1/f) which is 1st class RM handled from pickup to house and not downstream access, dated from 4 th June and they have still not arrived. In fact the contract for DWP (mail handling sites) is due up soon and there is now not much difference in TNT or 1st class RM. And this was like this over the last 14/16 months so nothing to do with the virus. I know your only get about 51 pence due to DWP being a massive post bag but more and more is going downstream and they are picking up RM work and dropping it off at nearest mail centre's. Does the union know, or even care about a RM driver getting done out of hours. PROBABLY NOT.

Must be local issues.More or less everything is cleared in my d/o on a daily basis . If particular walks are failing on a regular basis, it should be standard practice that they should take priority next day, but that would mean d/o Staff would have to be flexible in what they would do and we all know how contentious that can be.

[Munchboii]

Royal Mail need to remove the downstream access for our competitors. The fact that we do this is an absolute farce. Tell these companies that to use Royal Mail franking or get lost!