Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned Royal Mail to urgently improve its delivery performance or face further government intervention, intensifying pressure on the postal operator after months of missed targets and complaints about delays.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Burnham described the company’s record as “unacceptable for far too long” and demanded a rapid plan to restore standards, following reports that delayed letters had caused some customers to miss medical appointments.
“They need to bring forward a plan to restore service standards to the level they need to be at,” he told MPs. “They need to do it quickly, or we will consider further measures.”
The warning followed a challenge from Labour MP Imogen Walker, who said constituents were waiting weeks for post and called for a system that worked for customers and postal workers.
The Communication Workers Union last week demanded an emergency summit on Royal Mail’s future, warning that the service was “on the brink of collapse”. Its general secretary, Dave Ward, described the company as a “ticking timebomb”.
Royal Mail’s latest figures show that 85 per cent of first-class letters arrived the next working day during the first quarter, against an Ofcom target of 90 per cent. Second-class performance reached 91.4 per cent within three working days, below the regulator’s 95 per cent requirement.
The figures represent an improvement on the previous year, when first-class performance stood at 76 per cent and second-class deliveries at 89.3 per cent. But the company has continued to miss targets despite Ofcom lowering them in April.
Royal Mail has pledged £500mn of investment in service quality over five years, alongside major changes to its delivery model. Earlier this month, it also announced plans to cut 2,500 head-office and support jobs, while insisting frontline postal workers would be unaffected.
A spokesperson said service quality was “the best it has been for many years”, adding: “We know there is more to do and have a clear plan to deliver further improvements.”
With ministers and regulators scrutinising its performance, Royal Mail faces mounting pressure to turn its recovery promises into reliable deliveries before public confidence deteriorates further.
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