Postal service in 'freefall' says retired Somerset postman

Royal Mail said sorry to residents for delays

A retired postman has said the postal service seems to be in "freefall" as places in Somerset struggle for deliveries.

Retired postman Dave Chapple, from Bridgwater said: "Places in Somerset seem to get mail once a week, which is totally unacceptable."

Royal Mail said post was being delivered daily across Somerset, adding they were sorry for any delays.

It comes as Ofcom are conducting a review into Royal Mail's services.

Mr Chapple, who worked for the post service for 38 years, said: "I think Royal Mail seems to be a so-called public service that is in freefall.

"I've never known a time when failures have been so endemic and catastrophic.

"First class mail that should be delivered the next day, second class mail that should be delivered in two days' time - that seems to have gone out the window.

"Now some places in Somerset seem to get mail once a week, which is totally unacceptable."

Mr Chapple said the postal service seems to be in freefall

Other people in Somerset have said they're not going to send Christmas cards as they didn't trust they'd make it to their destinations.

Elsewhere in Yeovil, residents reported not getting post for two weeks in August.

Royal Mail is legally obliged to deliver letters six days a week and parcels five days a week to every address in the UK but now Ofcom is thinking of cutting that back.

It will spend the next few months gathering evidence on the future of the postal service, which it expects to put to the government next year.

Harry Rippon, from Ofcom, said: "Over the last ten years, the amount of letters we send and receive has gone down by about half and the number of parcel deliverers has been going up steadily every year so we think now is a good time to just look at the way that people use postal services."

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "We are sorry to residents who have experienced delays.

"Improving our level of service is our top priority and we are committed to restoring our service levels to where our customers expect them to be.

"While on occasion there are delays, mail is being delivered daily across Somerset.

"When a person has mail to be delivered and does not receive it on the day they expect, we will always aim to prioritise them the next day so no person should experience delays of more than one day."

They added that they have plans in place to continue to make improvements.

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: "The Department is aware that Royal Mail continues to have service challenges in some postcode areas, and we appreciate the concern and anxiety that may be associated with the delay of important deliveries."