Concerns over delays to Royal Mail deliveries in Gloucester

Locals have reported concerns over delays to their mail deliveries, with some receiving late hospital appointment letters.

Residents in Abbeydale, Gloucester, have been reporting problems with postal deliveries for several months.

The late post has also included birthday and wedding cards.

Royal Mail said it was "committed to restoring service levels" and blamed vacancies and sick absences at the local delivery office.

Councillor Andrew Gravells, who represents the area on the city and county councils, said he has raised the issue of missed deliveries with Royal Mail.

He said the issue first cropped up in February and at the time he had a meeting at the Gloucester North Sorting Office to try to understand why mail was being delivered so erratically.

Mr Gravells followed that up by writing to the head office of Royal Mail, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The councillor said he was reassured the sorting office rounds had been amended to ensure that there would be an improvement in the way post was delivered, and for a while it was.

But he said a few weeks ago it was clear the sorting office was experiencing problems again so he asked residents online what their experience had been lately.

"Firstly, the postmen and postwomen in Abbeymead and Abbeydale are the best, very efficient and very friendly, and that was really great feedback on the posties in my area which I agreed with 200%," explained Mr Gravells.

"Of some concern though, were the number of people who told me that they'd had things like hospital appointment letters delivered late, or birthday and wedding cards delivered after the actual day."

In a statement Royal Mail said: "We are sorry to residents who have experienced delays in Gloucester."

It added that "extensive plans" were in place "to ensure these delays are kept to a minimum, and that anyone who does not receive their mail on the day they expect are prioritised the next day".

It also has plans in place to reduce absence at delivery offices.

A spokesperson added that in the last last 10 years, the number of addresses Royal Mail delivers to has grown by more than two million and many of the routes have not been revised in that time, meaning that some can be an hour or two longer than others.

Additional reporting by Dawn Limbu & Harriet Robinson

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