Royal Mail Grapples with Mounting Delivery Delays
Royal Mail is confronting a significant decline in its delivery performance, with new figures revealing that less than three-quarters of first-class letters are now arriving on time. This slump in service reliability has resulted in a substantial fine from the industry regulator and forced the company to announce a major overhaul of its operations, including controversial plans to scrap some Saturday deliveries.
Performance Figures and Regulatory Action
Official data disclosed by Royal Mail shows that between 20 June and 28 September, only 73.4 per cent of first-class letters were delivered within the expected timeframe. The performance for second-class mail was somewhat better, but still missed its target, with 90.4 per cent arriving within three working days. This represents a clear deterioration from the company's previous annual results.
As a direct consequence of failing to meet its 2024-25 delivery targets, the postal service was hit with a £21 million fine from regulator Ofcom. The regulator has emphasised the urgent need for a sustainable postal service that can reliably meet its obligations to the British public.
The Road to Recovery: Staff and Service Changes
In response to this crisis, Royal Mail is taking decisive action to improve service reliability. A key part of this strategy involves a significant recruitment drive. Chief Operating Officer Jamie Stephenson has confirmed the company is hiring approximately 20,000 extra workers to bolster its ranks for the upcoming festive season, a period that traditionally places immense strain on the network.
Beyond temporary seasonal staff, the company is providing additional support to its delivery offices and preparing to introduce the most significant changes to its delivery model in years. Pilots are already underway for a new system that would involve scrapping second-class deliveries on Saturdays and moving to an every-other-weekday service for this mail type.
Mr Stephenson affirmed the company's commitment to restoring a reliable service, stating these difficult decisions are necessary to build a postal service that is fit for the future and can survive the challenges of the modern era.
