Royal Mail apologises for Chesterfield post delays

The apology comes after Adrian Rimington, of Horsley Close, contacted the Derbyshire Times to raise concerns.

MORE: Eight more arrests as police raid string of Chesterfield homes to tackle alleged drugs gang

“On Friday, November 12, the post in my area arrived at 5pm,” said the 65-year-old.

“The previous day it appears there was no delivery.

“I tried to contact the Chesterfield sorting office on the given number of 01246 293100 to find it had been withdrawn.

“After help from friends I found a number of 08444740395 which was totally digital and it informed me the Royal Mail had staffing issues and that in the run up to Christmas we would only be receiving a delivery every other day.

“I do not trust the Royal Mail management, and wonder if we are being prepared for an inferior service in the longer-term future as the Royal Mail use their staff in other ways that they see as more profitable?”

In response, a Royal Mail spokesperson told the Derbyshire Times: “We apologise to customers for any delays they may have experienced in some parts of Chesterfield.

“The vast majority of mail and parcels are delivered safely and on time.

“In recent weeks, we have implemented revisions to our postmen and women’s routes in Chesterfield to ensure they reflect changes in the local area, such as new residential developments, and are fairer and more balanced to reflect the growth in parcel deliveries.

“Unfortunately, these changes also coincided with a higher than normal rate of sickness absence which placed additional pressure on the operation.

“We are working hard to resolve the situation and reinstate normal delivery levels as soon as possible,” they added.

Ahead of the festive season, people in other parts of the country have also reported experiencing post delays recently.

Oxford Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran tweeted on Wednesday: “I’m aware of the issues some of my constituents in OX2 are having with postal delays.

“I have already reached out to Royal Mail, but it still hasn’t been resolved. I will write to the minister responsible. This level of service is unacceptable,” she added.

MORE: Mum of Chesterfield’s Gracie Spinks releases more pictures of her - and urges you to sign Gracie’s Law petition

Support your Derbyshire Times by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Visit www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/subscriptions