Postal delays on the Isle of Wight look set to continue after it was announced that Royal Mail failed to meet its delivery targets again, with the company reportedly ‘on the brink’.
It was reported by the national papers last week that Royal Mail failed to hit delivery targets in every single British postcode, with posties across the country failing to hit their target of delivering 93% of 1st-class post within 1 day of collection.
Now, it has been warned that the British institution faces an uncertain future and is ‘on the brink’ of collapse, with suggestions that the Government may soon need to step in.
Here on the Isle of Wight, some Islanders have gone days or even weeks without receiving any post through their letter boxes whilst others say that they have only got their post when they are taking delivery of a tracked item.
The lack of post making its way through our letterboxes is having a knock-on effect with many people missing vital NHS appointments and meetings as a result.
Royal Mail bosses have said that recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was hampering its ability to deliver mail, as well as poor staffing levels and sickness and absence-related issues.
Misery was compounded by strike action that took place last year, in which large-scale staff absence saw the company lose lots of its work to direct rivals in the mailing and courier industry.
The company posted a loss of around £750million last year. However, amid the crisis, shareholders in the business – including Czech Daniel Kretinsky who owns a 27% stake in West Ham United Football Club – have netted nearly £100million in dividends since 2021.
Royal Mail could be fined by regulator Ofcom (The Office of Communications) by the end of the year.
And when Royal Mail are fined, what will they do? Jack up the postal prices again — so the public are the ones who pay for their inefficiency.
All royal mail care about ,is that the bigwigs get lots of money,the postal service is a joke.
Here in wootton I sometimes only get One delivery of letters a week
Worst service ever! Yodel is much better value for money. Royal Mail is over priced the mangers get huge bonus at Christmas. So many items go missing or opened by staff I won’t use Royal Mail again. Unbelievable jeff
Good to see things getting better though!! lol
No complaints about our posty – letters always received when expected and always friendly and cheerful.
You must live right next door to the sorting office
Thanks to Royal Mail, I had to end my fledgling online business. They managed to lose or delay packages despite me paying for tracked “signed for” delivery. When I claimed against them, they used every trick in the book to prevent paying me for my losses. They are useless and unreliable.
Royal Mail are a joke, do they even have a CEO ?
We find the Royal Mail have given us an excellent service during the last 18 months living in Merstone. (It was also a good service from where we lived in Ryde)
And there we have it. Run down the Royal Mail to encourage people to use alternatives. Something like running down the NHS for the same reason. Anybody else see a similarity here?
Royal Mail is a Plc, so answers to shareholders. Apart from its universal service obligation, and dealing with the often spineless Ofcom – it has absolutely no dealings with the Government. Most Govt depts don’t even use Royal Mail for their own outbound mail.
Honestly can’t complain about the service I receive.
And 1st class stamps are rising again
£1.25 from October the 1st 2023
You pay for a 1st class service and get a 3rd class service
(My Postie is very good.) They should stop having two grades, go back to one and charge just a £1.
2nd class is only 75p and sometimes arrives quicker than 1st class post.
Strange but true
You have no idea the mess royal mail are in, they blame it on sickness and staff we have no staff because there cutting hours and making the postie do more when there all ready over there work load pushing them to work long hours, management don’t care big bosses want money that’s it
So the first class stamp will have gone up by 30p on October 1st nearly a third of its price 95p before April 2023 and shorter opening hours at the sorting office , 16 hours a week .
Please someone remove the Royal from Royal Mail .