Oxford post delays: issues reported in Summertown

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/new ... ummertown/

'MASSIVE' postal delays in Oxford could be down to a 'new system' in the sorting office.

Mark Block, 49, who works in publishing, told the Oxford Mail he had been waiting for a first class letter to arrive for more than two weeks.

In a bid to find out what was happening, Mr Block, who lives in Summertown, went to the Oxford Delivery Office.

There, he was told by a postal worker that a new system was to blame for severe delays.

They explained to him that there had been problems with the new system, meaning some post was left in bags for posties to sort through.

That system has now apparently been fixed but delayed post still needs to be sorted through completely.

Mr Block did praise the postal worker, saying they had been 'helpful' when he turned up last week.

Royal Mail were approached for a comment but failed to respond.

[POSTMAN]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-o ... e-59340462

Royal Mail sorry for postal delays across Oxford

Residents across Oxford have complained of delays that have led to them not receiving post for up to a fortnight.

Royal Mail, which recently revised its routes, said it was sorry but that the "vast majority" of mail had been delivered "safely and on time".

But a resident told the BBC the "fundamental service" was "completely broken".

Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds said the company should have considered the potential impact of the changes.

Mark Taylor, from Summertown, said Royal Mail was making "excuses about staffing issues.

"I'm quite angry. I had an issue with concert tickets [being received in the post] so I've had to go all the way to Brixton in South London hoping I'd be able to get into that event. Luckily, I did."

Maggie Lewis, from Blackbird Leys Neighbourhood Watch, said residents in her area have "had enough".

"They have very distressing stories - not getting PIN numbers and financial problems - because of this, so I really feel Royal Mail need to do something now."

Royal Mail said it had recently revised postmen and women's routes across Oxford to include new residential developments.

A spokesperson said it hoped the changes would mean deliveries were "fairer and more balanced to reflect the growth in parcel deliveries", though they had coincided "with a higher than normal rate of sickness" amongst staff.

It was "working hard to resolve the situation" and "normal service is beginning to resume", the spokesperson said.

Ms Dodds said: "I think the Royal Mail has got to be clear that it's going to listen to the workforce, and that they're going to have talks with the workforce to understand whether introducing changes quickly is going to lead to disruption."