Much like the train industry yesterday, Royal Mail needs to realise that while it may be a virtual monopoly, it can’t keep ramping up its prices without some sort of improved service.

The company controversially in April ramped up prices for a first-class stamp from 46p to 60p and second class from 36p to an almost criminal 50p.

The extra cash was to be used to try to maintain its services and protect six-day-a-week delivery Yet, as our latest survey shows, customers are being woefully let down in terms of getting what they pay for.

Every time we do our post test, Royal Mail says it is only a small sample and its own commissioned surveys puts the first-class delivery rate at 92.6 per cent on time.

Yet in all four of the tests we have done, Royal Mail has never come near achieving that target.

Two of the letters that we paid 60p to have delivered didn’t turn up for four days. That’s just unacceptable.

Royal Mail is by far the dominant force in the market but we know anecdotally of people now sending fewer items because of the cost.

It cannot afford to continue to be so arrogantly dismissive of the real service flaws we continue to uncover.