South Essex: Postal 'blip' sorted insists Royal Mail

Following complaints and horror stories about a backlog of post and late deliveries, Royal Mail management is now confident that local post will be delivered in line with target dates.

However, for those posting further afield, the message remains for people to post early to avoid disappointment.

Last month saw delivery chaos in Southend from newly-imposed national regulations and European directives limiting the number of hours that postal workers could work.

But the agreement now reached between management and the Communication Workers Union involves an extension of working hours and additional agency staff to cope with the Christmas pressure.

David Skelhorn, operational programme manager for Southend, said: "I would be lying if I said it was easy but we worked together to make it easier as it was a massive change in our working practices. There were some quite severe problems but we sat down with the local union representatives and we cleared that mail."

But he added: "We started the Christmas agreement this week and everything that is here for delivery up to today has been delivered."

The guidelines for last post dates are December 18 for second-class post and December 21 for first class.

Mr Skelhorn said: "If you live in Southend and were posting from somewhere in Southend, there is no reason that you cannot stick to these dates. We are very confident of our own local mail but if you are posting to somewhere in another part of the country, post as soon as possible."

CWU representative Keith Elgar said: "The proof is in the pudding and the lads and the girls here do take pride in their work.

"We see our own regular customers on a day to day basis and it is nice to say to them that their mail is up to date."

Christmas service - Pete Crix sorts mail at Southend's sorting office following a meeting between workers and management to improve postal services

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

MP demanded meeting after flood of complaints

Southend West MP David Amess has welcomed assurances from postal bosses that backlogs in the town's service are being cleared.

Mr Amess met with Royal Mail bosses on Thursday after being flooded with complaints about long delays in Southend's postal service.

One of the worst affected areas has been Westcliff which was declared in a state of emergency last month after some residents received virtually no post for a couple of weeks.

At the meeting, Mr Amess directed public concerns at Royal Mail boss Mark Rush.

Mr Amess said: "I read the riot act to Mr Rush, leaving him in no doubt that we want serious action now.

"I described a long list of complaints of local residents not receiving their mail at all, receiving it days late and no longer enjoying second deliveries.

"Mr Rush gave a number of reasons for the deterioration in service, part of which he said were to do with transport problems, bad weather and some recruitment problems. Mr Rush gave the undertaking that with immediate effect all mail received by the Post Office would be cleared on a daily basis."

Mr Amess said he believed postal services had deteriorated since the central sorting office was moved from Southend to Chelmsford and Romford.

He added: "I said local residents were not interested in whose fault it was but rather they wanted it restored to its previously high standards."

Fact file

Royal Mail is expecting more than 2.5billion letters and packets to be have been posted and delivered in the four weeks up to Christmas Day

Parcelforce Worldwide expects to have delivered more than 13million parcels during the same period

Royal Mail has introduced extra air and road services to handle the bulging festive postbag but the advice to customers is to post early

Customers can get advice and information from Royal Mail's customer service centre on 08457 740 740 or the Parcelforce Worldwide inquiry centre on freephone 0800 22 44 66.

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