Robert Halfon MP has written to the Government and to Ofcom to demand a better service from Royal Mail for Harlow people. Royal Mail, which was fined £5.6 million earlier this week for failures to deliver across the country, has let down local people for months, with parcels and letters delivered late, if at all.
Mr Halfon has repeatedly raised the concerns of local people with Royal Mail directly, escalating this issue to the Chief Executive and, more recently, the Chair of the Board. Despite this, Royal Mail have not been able to provide sufficient assurances that the service in Harlow will improve significantly in the near future.
Therefore, Mr Halfon has stepped up his calls for a better service, demanding urgent action to clear the backlog and reinstate regular deliveries across the town by writing to the Government Minister for Small Enterprise and also to Lord Grade, Chair of Ofcom.
Commenting on the ongoing situation with Royal Mail, Robert said, “Despite the hardworking postmen and women in Harlow, the service local people are currently receiving from Royal Mail is far below the standard I, and my constituents, expect. The hard working postmen and women do not deserve to be blamed for what is apparent to me a failure in leadership and management across the company.
“I have now raised this issue with Royal Mail repeatedly, initially with the Public Affairs department and more recently with the Chief Executive and subsequently the Chair of the Board. I have not received a response from either the Chief Executive or the Chair of the Board and, despite assurance from Public Affairs, there has been no improvement in the service for Harlow people.
“It is wrong that letters and parcels which have been sent are not being delivered on time, if at all, despite the correct postage being paid. Royal Mail has a universal service obligation and a royal warrant and, as such, they must provide a high standard of service. I have written to the Minister and to Lord Grade (the Chair of Ofcom) to urge them to do everything within their power to hold Royal Mail to account and to seek to remove the royal warrant they currently hold.”
