THE article about first class letters by Amanda Williams (Oxford Mail, March 30) is really excellent.

I especially liked the very clear maps of where the letters were posted.

For about 10 years, up until 1998 – when local post office advisory committees were suddenly, for no reason, abolished by the Blair government, I was the representative of the Oxford Consumer Group.

We regularly reviewed the Royal Mail’s performance with the local managers, and, on the whole it was pretty good.

When the sorting office moved from Becket Street to Garsington Road we visited the highly automated new premises, which seemed to me to be very efficient.

So I am astounded to hear that they are to be abandoned after only a few years.

Like Mrs Gough I cannot believe that moving the operation to Swindon will improve the service, which is now poor.

My own mail, which five years ago came at about 9am, now comes nearer to 2pm! So I don’t get it until I return home.

Amanda mentioned the price increases for small letters, which came in on Monday.

But large letters went up a lot more than three pence – second class by five pence and first class by nine pence. That is an increase of over 17 per cent.

Airmail letters to the USA and Australia went up by six pence from 56p to 62p, and letters to Europe from 50p to 56p.

MICHAEL HUGH-JONES, Headley Way, Oxford