'Shambolic' Royal Mail blasted over long delivery delays

Niel Palfreyman from the Eastmoor estate in Wakefield has missed a hospital scan and even an operation, after confirmation letters from the hospital were severely delayed.

The 53-year-old said: “I’ve had two lots of post in a month, and when it arrives there is masses of it. Last week I even got somebody else’s mail.

“I’ve got a friend who works there and the posties don’t know if they are coming or going and there’s so much pressure being put on them. It’s just shambolic at the moment.

“I had a phone call from the hospital asking where I was for my operation, and I didn’t know anything about it.

“If you go online there are hundreds of people complaining about the same thing, asking if they have even seen a postman in days.”

Another resident, who lives behind Pinderfields, said: “I’m sick to death of it now, it’s just excuse after excuse. We need our post.

“They only seem to be delivering parcels and not the post.”

Royal Mail was contacted and refused to speculate on several claims made to the Express that a re-organisation of the rounds by a newly-appointed manager has led to the problems.

However, a spokesman said: “In some areas in Wakefield, we are experiencing some disruption to service due to Covid-related and other sickness absence.

“We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week.

“If resourcing issues, associated self-isolation and safety measures prevent this, we’ll deliver at least every other day.

“We apologise to customers for any inconvenience they may experience as we work hard to resolve the situation.”