More than 100 postcodes across the United Kingdom are experiencing fresh postal delays, prompting a formal intervention from MPs. The Business and Trade Committee has written to Royal Mail’s chief executive seeking urgent clarification over the reported disruption.
The cross-party group says it has “significant concerns” about the standard of service currently being provided. Allegations that letters may be deliberately withheld until enough items accumulate for a single address have intensified political pressure on the company.
Parliamentary Scrutiny over Alleged “Batching”
The Business and Trade Committee, made up of 11 cross-party MPs and chaired by Liam Byrne, has contacted Royal Mail chief executive Alistair Cochrane this week. According to the committee, the correspondence raises “significant concerns about the quality of the postal service being provided by Royal Mail”.
Central to the MPs’ concerns are allegations of a practice referred to as “batching”. According to the committee, this would involve holding back mail until sufficient items are ready for delivery to a single address. The committee warned that, if true, such a practice risks customers missing time-sensitive information, including medical appointment letters, while also affecting Royal Mail’s reported delivery performance. In its statement, the committee said the alleged batching “clearly risks customers missing important time-sensitive information such as medical appointments”.
Royal Mail has responded publicly to the criticism. A spokesperson said: “We understand how frustrating it is when post does not arrive as expected, and we want to reassure customers that the vast majority of mail is delivered as planned.” The company has not, in the material released, addressed the specific allegation of batching but has sought to reassure customers about overall performance levels.
Areas affected across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The latest disruption affects 107 postcodes linked to delivery offices across the country. According to the information released, the impacted areas span England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, underscoring the geographical breadth of the issue.
Among the delivery offices listed are Aberdare (CF44, CF45), Ashington (NE22, NE62, NE63, NE64), Banbridge (BT32), Beverley (HU11, HU17, HU18), Brechin (DD9) and Brierley Hill (DY5). Chichester (PO18–PO20), Chipping Norton (OX7), Daventry (NN11) and Glasgow G15 (G15), along with Glasgow G52 (G52, G53), are also affected.
Further areas include Helston (TR12, TR13), Hull Central (HU1–HU3, HU5, HU9, HU12, HU19), Hyde (SK13, SK14, SK16), Kingswood (BS15, BS30) and Kirkcaldy (KY1–KY3). Leicester East (LE2, LE5–LE7), Lichfield (WS7, WS13, WS14), Lisburn (BT26–BT28) and Lochgelly (KY5) appear on the list, as do Lutterworth (LE9, LE17) and Maida Hill (W9).
North Tyneside (NE25–NE30), Oxford East (OX3, OX4, OX33, OX44, OX49), Penarth (CF64), Pendle (BB8, BB9), Pontefract (WF7, WF8, WF9, WF11) and Pontyclun (CF72) are also named. The disruption extends to Prenton (CH43), Shrewsbury (SY1–SY5), Sileby SPDO (LE12), Sleaford (NG34), South Shields (NE33, NE34), Sunderland (SR1–SR6, SR9), Swan House (LE1, LE3, LE7–LE9, LE19, LE95), Swindon (SN1, SN2, SN3, SN6, SN25, SN26, SN38, SN99), Waterlooville (PO7–PO8) and Whitwood (WF6, WF10).
With parliamentary scrutiny now under way, attention will focus on Royal Mail’s response to the committee’s concerns and whether further clarification is provided about the scale and cause of the disruption affecting these communities.
