A North MP has stepped up a campaign to resolve mail delivery problems affecting people in the Highlands.
A survey by Drew Hendry revealed residents are often going more than a week without mail, only to receive a backlog all at once.
One constituent said undelivered letters from an undertaker and solicitor affected the burial of her mother.
Another said he missed an appointment as he didn’t receive a letter posted six weeks previously.
Myriad of issues
The survey was carried out in the wake of the long-standing dispute between postal workers and Royal Mail management over working terms and operational hours at the Inverness sorting office.
The frequent delays have affected people in and around the city and led to some missing medical appointments and other dates.
Mr Hendry, the MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said the survey has highlighted a “myriad of issues”, causing significant distress and inconvenience.
He has called on Royal Mail to address the issues as the busy festive season approaches.
In a letter to the CEO Simon Thompson he proposed improved maintenance and acquisition of additional vans, allocation of extra hours, and employment of temporary workers to manage the anticipated surge in demand.
Mr Hendry said feedback from the survey was “invaluable”.
“It shines a light on the pressing need for immediate rectification of the mail delivery service in our area.
“I have engaged once again with the Royal Mail management to seek tangible solutions and ensure that our communities remain well-served.
“The assurance of a reliable postal service is not merely about convenience, but a necessity that binds our communities together.
“I will continue to push for the necessary changes to ensure effective mail delivery service for all.”
One of the people who took part in the survey, Donald from Glen Urquhart, shared his frustration at the situation.
“I missed an appointment as I didn’t receive the letter posted six weeks before said appointment.
“It’s not an isolated case either. I regularly get no mail for several days, only to then receive a bundle of letters.
“Just this week, I received 12 letters on one day after not receiving any for over a week prior to this.”
Posties considering strike action
Earlier this month we reported that posties in the Highlands and Moray are considering strike action due to “unachievable” workloads from the Royal Mail.
The Communication Workers Union says shrinking workforces have led to walking routes being lengthened and some delivery routes being doubled.
Officials say some posties have been left to “muddle through” with four delivery offices in the Highlands and Moray now considering strike action.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We are committed to restoring our quality of service to our customers.
“We have plans in place and dedicated teams responsible for improving deliveries at our delivery offices nationwide.”
He said around 6,000 postmen and women have been recruited in the last 12 weeks and continue to recruit about 500 a week.
The company has also introduced a wellbeing programme to provide staff with free, confidential, and independent healthcare support.
He added: “In the lead up to Christmas, we are taking on 16,000 temporary workers, more vehicles and additional parcel sorting sites to handle double the normal volume of parcels we expect over the period.
“These actions, plus others, are already making a difference in some areas and we are confident that they will continue to improve quality of service for our customers.”
Conversation