Oxfordshire MPs call for regulator to step in as Royal Mail delivery targets missed

67.9% of first-class deliveries in OX postcodes were delivered on time over the past year, well below Royal Mail’s new target of 95%. 

The MPs have now called for greater accountability on missed targets to help improve parcel delivery and turn around a service that is “failing people here in Oxfordshire”. They also called on the regulator OFCOM to step in and “act on these unacceptable delays”. 

Olly Glover, MP for Didcot and Wantage has been contacted by residents about the poor service received and advocating on their behalf.  

Mr Glover said: 

“It is unacceptable that post is delayed so often, causing all sorts of problems. Missed hospital appointments, delayed medical test results, legal documents arriving late are some of the more serious examples raised with me. It is also incredibly frustrating when birthday cards and personal letters arrive weeks after they were sent.  

“A resident in Didcot told me he was only receiving post once a week, but that has recently fallen to once a month. Incredibly, he has resorted to going to collect the post from the sorting office, where there is regularly an undelivered pile there for him. 

“When raising these cases with Royal Mail last year I was told staff shortages was the reason for the delays, but six months later I am still getting contacted by people in the Didcot, Harwell and Wallingford areas complaining about ongoing issues with delayed post” 

Liberal Democrat MPs, Calum Miller, Olly Glover, Layla Moran, Charlie Maynard and Freddie van Mierlo issued a joint statement: 

“These missed targets are shocking and are leaving countless people in the lurch here in Oxfordshire and across the country. People rely on these deliveries which often contain vital documents. They should not have to put up with this continued disruption. 
 

“This has been going on for far too long and people are understandably fed up of it. Postal workers are working hard to keep pace in an understaffed service – this isn’t fair on them, or the individuals and businesses across Oxfordshire who need a well-staffed, reliable postal service they can trust. It is time OFCOM stepped in to act on these unacceptable delays and hold this service accountable for letting people down across country”