'Posties are being told to prioritise parcels' - now Telford MP raises problems about letters not being delivered
An MP says postal workers have told him they have been instructed by their bosses not to deliver post as concerns about Royal Mail services in the county grow.
Shaun Davies, who represents Telford, is the second Shropshire MP to raise concerns about the county's postal service in the Commons this week.
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On Tuesday, Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, told MPs that some of his constituents had received no mail since Christmas.
Mr Davies also called for postal services minister Gareth Thomas to give an urgent statement to the House on the matter. Mr Pritchard had also made s similar request.
Mr Davies said postal workers had privately told him that they had been instructed to prioritise parcel deliveries over letters.
He said residents across Telford and wider Shropshire were reporting long delays for Royal Mail deliveries, including one constituent who was waiting for urgent information from the NHS.
"Posties have contacted me privately to tell me that they have been ordered not to deliver post and to prioritise parcels," he told MPs.
"Will the Leader of the House ask the minister responsible to give an urgent statement to the house so that we can get Royal Mail to deliver to Telford, Shropshire and other affected areas of the country?
Sir Alan Campbell, Leader of the House of Commons, said he too had heard similar rumours as a constituency MP.
"The reliable delivery of post, particularly for urgent health information, is essential, and constituents are absolutely right to expect a well-run postal service," he said.
"I know that Royal Mail pays close attention to issues raised at business questions, but I will ensure that the minister responsible is made aware of my honourable friend’s concerns."
Mr Pritchard, who reported problems in Newport, Albrighton and Shifnal, met with senior Royal Mail executives on Wednesday. He said he would be monitoring the situation over the coming week and would be speaking to them again in the middle of next week.
Royal Mail acknowledged there had been a problem in the area, but denied Mr Pritchard's claim that there had been delays of up to two weeks.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "Recent severe weather conditions and an increase in sickness absence have had an impact on deliveries to some addresses in the last week. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, and our posties are going above and beyond to ensure daily deliveries resume as quickly as possible.”
