SNOW: Royal Mail apology over post delays (From Oxford Mail)
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SNOW: Royal Mail apology over post delays
6:20am Monday 11th January 2010 in News By Andrew Ffrench
ROYAL Mail has apologised to customers in Oxfordshire after deliveries were hit by the weather.
Postal workers said a backlog of mail was building up because postmen have been unable to reach some areas due to icy conditions.
Steve Gill, from the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who works at Royal Mail House delivery office off Oxpens Road in Oxford, said: “Postmen are doing their best in difficult conditions and some are risking their safety to get the mail delivered.
“Some parts of the city like Cumnor Hill have been very difficult to reach because of the ice and there are side streets which have not been gritted by the city council.
“The management is saying that postal workers should take annual leave or a special day without pay if they can’t make it in, but we think that is harsh.”
Staff living in Oxford but working at the Swindon sorting office had been asked to work locally, he said.
Alan Pope, 75, of Kennington Road, Kennington, said on Friday he had received no mail since Tuesday and added: “I phoned customer care and was told the mail was being held back until the weather improved.
“I was a postman for 38 years until I retired 10 years ago and I would walk through snowdrifts. I can understand that rounds take longer in this weather but the postmen could still deliver the mail – the milk and papers have arrived.”
Sue Dakin, a spokesman for Royal Mail, said: “We are attempting to deliver where it is safe to do so, but unfortunately services have been severely disrupted. We would like to apologise to customers.”
Ms Dakin added that when employees were unable to come into work, cases were judged on their merits.
She explained staff were not forced to make deliveries in the snow if they had safety concerns, and were given the option of other duties.
She said: “The health and safety of Royal Mail staff is our number one priority.
“We work closely with our own safety specialists and those of the union to ensure nobody is put at risk.
“We have been keeping mail moving through our network despite the extreme weather conditions, and as mail reaches our delivery offices, our postmen and women have been going out on delivery in very difficult circumstances.
“It is our intention that services will return to normal as quickly as possible.”
affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk
When was your last post delivery? Call the newsdesk on 01865 425445.
Comments(29)
Andrew:Oxford
says...
9:31am Mon 11 Jan 10
Mickey_d
says...
9:35am Mon 11 Jan 10
Major_Grooves wrote:If you have officially complained to the Royal Mail, you can probably kiss your post goodbye! I wouldn't mind betting it's being delivered to a bush somewhere instead.
I've not had any mail since before Xmas - that's coming up for 3 weeks now. I don't live in some remote village - just the top of Banbury Road. I know I had something posted to me on the 23rd of December so that should have arrived before last week's snowfall. So what's happening? Royal Mail Customer Services are able to tell me that the postman is out on my route, but only doing a partial delivery. They can't say whether they will deliver to my house. The snow might have been an excuse for a day or two's disruption last week, but 3 weeks without mail? I have items of mail that I really need to get delivered now! I have an outstanding complaint with Royal Mail and will supposedly hear back today.
It's why most of us have to put up with the shockingly poor service we get, because we know that if we officially complain, we would not receive any post at all!
btw. I am not referring to the snowy conditions at all. I fully accept that there will be delays. I am reffering to the year-round rubbish that we have to endure here in Headington.
Mickey
holliocs
says...
9:36am Mon 11 Jan 10
wallingford1
says...
10:09am Mon 11 Jan 10
OX3
says...
10:27am Mon 11 Jan 10
AngelB
says...
11:20am Mon 11 Jan 10
And poor hard done by posties, at least they have the option of taking holiday - my boss wont let me although I have days to take. Apparently I have to lose a day's pay!!
Ted James
says...
11:21am Mon 11 Jan 10
Major_Grooves
says...
11:24am Mon 11 Jan 10
I kind of feel held to ransom by Royal Mail and the worst thing is the lack of information. If I was running a business from home I would be completely screwed by now!
Major_Grooves
says...
11:27am Mon 11 Jan 10
gillianfoote
says...
12:23pm Mon 11 Jan 10
Green123
says...
12:49pm Mon 11 Jan 10
jamesp
says...
12:58pm Mon 11 Jan 10
Major_Grooves
says...
1:09pm Mon 11 Jan 10
No mail for 1 or 2 days I could cope with, but this is verging on criminal.
OCR
says...
1:46pm Mon 11 Jan 10
Andrew:Oxford wrote:We know for certain that post was sent to us before Christmas but deliveries to us stopped long before the snow fell last week. While the bad weather may explain the delays in the meantime, this does not explain why the Royal Mail are doing a half-hearted job by virtue of the fact that neighbouring buildings have continued to receive deliveries whilst we have not. Does no-one take pride in their jobs anymore?
I hope everyone who is complaining about no mail delivery has completely cleared and salted a path from the property boundary to the front door
epiphany
says...
2:18pm Mon 11 Jan 10
Any One
says...
2:57pm Mon 11 Jan 10
The service is a shambolic disgrace, prior to the snow they blame it on Christmas. It two weeks to receive a first class recorded delivery letter from Portsmouth
I live very centrally and I am not the only person to be getting no mail.
Unfortunately we live in times where any excuse is taking advantage of for poor service.
Major_Grooves
says...
7:22pm Mon 11 Jan 10
I know for a fact that there are other items in the mail for us.
The girl at the depot said that there were several sacks lying next to my section which were waiting to be sorted, which probably contained my mail. There is also lots of mail at Swindon waiting to be sorted. She didn't know when it would get looked at.
So if you think you've had all your mail in Oxford there may be some hanging around in the depot that you don't know about.
I know the DVD was either sent on 23rd December or 8th January. I suspect it's the latter and everything since 23rd is still waiting to be sorted.
This is getting kinda serious imo. What can you do if a complaint has brought no joy? Is there a next level you can go to?
oxfordborn
says...
7:38pm Mon 11 Jan 10
In view of their attitude I urge anyone with late post to complain and demand compensation (a scheme of sorts exists)
If they are so rigid with such an unclear pricing system then we should cease doing them any favours. Maybe then we can return to a bit of give and take.
Major_Grooves
says...
7:48pm Mon 11 Jan 10
"Has your mail item arrived five or more working days after it was posted?
If so, your mail is classified as ‘delayed’, and we’ll give you compensation of 12 First Class stamps. If you provide additional evidence of delay and your claim for compensation is accepted, you will be sent a cheque for £5, or for £10 if your item has suffered substantial delay (i.e. was delivered more than eleven working days after the day of posting') and you provide additional evidence or proof of delay."
Presumably it's the receiving party that can claim? Could be quite a windfall on its way! I bet Royal Mail doesn't could Saturday as a working day even though they're meant to deliver on Saturdays.
Major_Grooves
says...
7:55pm Mon 11 Jan 10
MrBadge
says...
10:00pm Mon 11 Jan 10
Major_Grooves wrote:Major Grooves is very popular, he has been waiting for his mail and he only has a DVD rental, popular.
Well, I went to the Royal Mail depot in Oxpens Road after work. Apparently my and my g/f's mail for two weeks consists of 1 DVD from LoveFilm.
I know for a fact that there are other items in the mail for us.
The girl at the depot said that there were several sacks lying next to my section which were waiting to be sorted, which probably contained my mail. There is also lots of mail at Swindon waiting to be sorted. She didn't know when it would get looked at.
So if you think you've had all your mail in Oxford there may be some hanging around in the depot that you don't know about.
I know the DVD was either sent on 23rd December or 8th January. I suspect it's the latter and everything since 23rd is still waiting to be sorted.
This is getting kinda serious imo. What can you do if a complaint has brought no joy? Is there a next level you can go to?
He is very factual, also knows that the DVD was posted on "either" the 23rd or the 8th, well which one is it, you either know or you don't know and I would say that you have not got a clue.
Apart from complain about the Mail, what have you done to positively help with all the bad weather we have been having. Bet your the guy to is too busy looking after himself to notice others around him, apart from when they are getting more than you. I can just imaging you now on the phone to Royal Mail, " But my neighbours getting his mail"
Oh I forgot you are waiting on your DVD rental.
Get a life, speak to your postman get the storey first hand before you start complaining, or at least tell us where you work, so we all know where everything runs on time, no matter what.
Major_Grooves
says...
11:46pm Mon 11 Jan 10
My point with the DVD rental is that I know there are other items in the mail that should have been delivered. Hence, receiving one DVD for 3 weeks worth of mail means there is lots more waiting to be delivered. You are correct that I am very popular, but the DVD delivery is not related. My popularity is purely due to my wit and charm.
I know the DVD was posted on either the 23rd Dec or 8th Jan because they were sent from LoveFilm and they tell you the date the DVD is dispatched. Quite simple. The first one was sent 23rd Dec. When it didn't turn up I requested it to be re-sent and a 2nd DVD was dispatched on 8th Jan. I don't know on which of the two dates the particular DVD I received was sent because they are the both the same movie. I'd say that's more than a clue, wouldn't you?
You are right - "but my neighbours are getting their mail" is pretty much my main argument. I don't see what's wrong with that. It's quite logical to state that when explaining the problem. If no-one was receiving their mail I could understand the delivery interruption, but why would next-door block receive mail and not mine?
I can't ask the postie what's going on because I have a job - seeing as the postie can barely make a delivery before 12noon, it's very unlikely I'm ever going to bump in to him. Seeing as he's not delivering to my flats any more (the whole point of my grievance!) it's doubly unlikely I'm going to see him!
The point of complaining is that the depot manager is meant to convey why the mail is not being delivered - that's as close to first hand as I can get.
Can't say I've really done anything to deal with the weather other than enquire about the missing mail on behalf of my neighbours. But then I don't think this weather is particularly bad - just the way people cope with it.
My life's pretty cool. What made you such a grumpy git? Presume you're a postie?
Victor's_friend
says...
9:59am Tue 12 Jan 10
Hic cup!
j-ox
says...
2:49pm Tue 12 Jan 10
opinionatedsoandso
says...
4:13pm Wed 13 Jan 10
Major_Grooves wrote:@MrBadge:
@MrBadge My point with the DVD rental is that I know there are other items in the mail that should have been delivered. Hence, receiving one DVD for 3 weeks worth of mail means there is lots more waiting to be delivered. You are correct that I am very popular, but the DVD delivery is not related. My popularity is purely due to my wit and charm. I know the DVD was posted on either the 23rd Dec or 8th Jan because they were sent from LoveFilm and they tell you the date the DVD is dispatched. Quite simple. The first one was sent 23rd Dec. When it didn't turn up I requested it to be re-sent and a 2nd DVD was dispatched on 8th Jan. I don't know on which of the two dates the particular DVD I received was sent because they are the both the same movie. I'd say that's more than a clue, wouldn't you? You are right - "but my neighbours are getting their mail" is pretty much my main argument. I don't see what's wrong with that. It's quite logical to state that when explaining the problem. If no-one was receiving their mail I could understand the delivery interruption, but why would next-door block receive mail and not mine? I can't ask the postie what's going on because I have a job - seeing as the postie can barely make a delivery before 12noon, it's very unlikely I'm ever going to bump in to him. Seeing as he's not delivering to my flats any more (the whole point of my grievance!) it's doubly unlikely I'm going to see him! The point of complaining is that the depot manager is meant to convey why the mail is not being delivered - that's as close to first hand as I can get. Can't say I've really done anything to deal with the weather other than enquire about the missing mail on behalf of my neighbours. But then I don't think this weather is particularly bad - just the way people cope with it. My life's pretty cool. What made you such a grumpy git? Presume you're a postie?
ha!...wind your neck in, you've been told. Major_Grooves has already increased in poularity with this response!
monkey256
says...
9:26pm Wed 13 Jan 10
Major_Grooves
says...
7:55am Thu 14 Jan 10
also I did find out that the solitary DVD that I did manage to pick up from the Royal Mail depot had been sent on the 8th Jan, so in fact there was just a whole bunch of mail posted before then that wasn't being sorted/delivered and mail that was posted since then was making it through (yesterday's delivery included the same movie sent on 23rd Dec).
daveg2008
says...
3:21pm Thu 14 Jan 10
Major_Grooves says...
9:17am Mon 11 Jan 10
So what's happening? Royal Mail Customer Services are able to tell me that the postman is out on my route, but only doing a partial delivery. They can't say whether they will deliver to my house.
The snow might have been an excuse for a day or two's disruption last week, but 3 weeks without mail? I have items of mail that I really need to get delivered now!
I have an outstanding complaint with Royal Mail and will supposedly hear back today.