Lewes MP updates residents on Royal Mail delays in the constituency

Maria Caulfield MP said: “I have met with local posties and visited sorting offices and heard first hand how management have not filled posts vacant from long term staff sickness or when someone leaves. Existing posties then have to take on extra rounds and just do not have the capacity to do this.”

Caulfield says she asked for a meeting with the national team following the disruption, which has included people who have had delays to getting medication and other essential items.

The MP added: “In response to the lack of communication from Royal Mail, I not only wrote to Kevin Hollingrake MP who is the Minister who overseas the obligation Royal Mail has but I reported Royal Mail to their regulator Ofcom who have now fined them £5.6 million for missing their postal targets across the country.

“After the Minister intervened a meeting with national Royal Mail managers will be arranged. The issues locally need to be urgently addressed by Royal Mail and I will be making this clear in my meeting with them. I have heard shocking stories from constituents who have missed urgent items such as medication and paperwork which needed to be returned by a deadline which was then missed."

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Our local teams are working extremely hard to ensure a consistent and reliable service to households this Christmas. Our employees are committed to serving their communities and we are proud of the work they are doing to sort, deliver and collect mail this festive period.

“To support them, we have increased our vehicle numbers and operational capacity, and we are in the process of recruiting 16,000 seasonal workers to help manage the increased demand. We can confirm we have mail being delivered to homes daily in Newhaven with the vast majority arriving on time. If a delay occurs, we have dedicated teams in place to take immediate action.”

Caulfield added: “Please do keep your feedback coming in on the service you are receiving and please do say thank you to your postie when you see them as they are working very hard in difficult circumstances to get your mail to you.”