Residents criticise more delays to postal service

Residents say post can take up to two weeks to be delivered in Dorking, Surrey

Residents in the Dorking area have criticised Royal Mail for continued delays to their postal service.

They say important post, including legal documents, parking fines and medical appointments, have taken up to two weeks to be delivered.

One resident, Mary Davidson, who lives in Buckland, said 63 letters turned up at her house in one day.

Royal Mail said it was recruiting more staff to make up for vacancies and absences.

In September, Mole Valley District Council lodged a formal complaint against Royal Mail due to delays to deliveries.

'Materially impacted'

Speaking to BBC Radio Surrey, Ms Davidson described the situation as a "mess" and said repeated complaints had failed to resolve the issues.

She said: "The reason we've got to this stage is because we're being materially impacted, financially impacted - our time is being impacted."

She added: "We're completely confused as to how this service has suddenly gone so wrong."

Another resident, John Burch, said he had now resorted to visiting his local sorting office to obtain his post.

He said: "Getting very late notification of medical appointments, last-minute notice of bills being due and perhaps defaulting on bills, that's the sort of inconvenience."

Buckland residents John Burch and Mary Davidson have experienced postal delays

Following a review, Royal Mail confirmed there had been some delays recently, but "there is no mail that is being delayed for weeks or other significant periods of time".

It said: “Due to lower staffing levels from vacancies and sick absence, we are currently rotating routes and delivering to houses every other day where necessary." 

Royal Mail added this was a "temporary solution" while it worked to recruit more staff.