Formby residents miss hospital appointments due to late post

Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson said constituents had contacted him after going for lengthy periods without receiving post. Some have resorted to visiting the local delivery office, where they have found large quantities of mail waiting for them.

Mr Esterson told BBC Radio Merseyside: “Sometimes they’re having to go to the sorting office to collect large piles of backlog mail.”

Parcels prioritised over letters

The Labour MP claimed postal workers had told him parcels were being prioritised because they generated more revenue for Royal Mail.

He stressed that he did not blame local postmen and women, saying they were doing “a great job in difficult circumstances”.

“They’re prioritising parcels over letters because they get paid more for them, which is what the postmen and postwomen are telling us,” he said.

“It’s not the fault of the posties, it’s the fault of Royal Mail.”

Royal Mail has not directly responded to the claim that parcels are being prioritised.

Mr Esterson has now written an open letter to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, calling on the Government to ensure postal services are restored to an acceptable standard.

Royal Mail responds

A Royal Mail spokesperson acknowledged that individual rounds in Sefton could occasionally be disrupted by short-term local issues.

They said: “We know how important it is for letters to arrive when expected. Mail continues to be delivered across Sefton every day.

“Where this happens, any outstanding mail is prioritised for delivery as quickly as possible, alongside time-sensitive items such as First Class mail and medical letters.”

Royal Mail said more than 93% of letters were currently delivered on time and more than 99% arrived within a week, meaning longer delays were rare.

Earlier this year, communications regulator Ofcom opened an investigation after Royal Mail failed to meet its nationwide delivery targets.