Postwatch, the watchdog for postal services is pleased that the results released today by Royal Mail show continued improvement throughout the first 9 months of 2005/06. There is now every chance that Royal Mail will, for the first time, meet its minimum 1st Class stamped mail target of delivering on average throughout the year more than 93 per cent of letters the next day.
For the first three quarters of 2005/06 Royal Mail’s cumulative performance for 1st Class stamped mail was 94 per cent. This compares favourably with a 2004/05 cumulative performance of just 91.4 per cent and that for 2003/04 of 90.1 per cent.
The figures released by Royal Mail today show that there was a significant drop in the 1st Class stamped delivery performance at Christmas. Only around 66 per cent of 1st Class mail was delivered next day. 2nd Class performance only dipped slightly to 95.4 per cent. This vindicates Postwatch recommending to customers that they post early and use 2nd Class stamps at Christmas. Millie Banerjee, Chair of Postwatch, commenting on Royal Mail’s results said: “It is good news that customers are receiving the service levels they pay for and have expected to receive. The figures released today show that Royal Mail management and workforce are generally sustaining good levels of performance. Hopefully there is better to come and every chance that Royal Mail will at least achieve its 1st Class target of on average delivering 93 per cent of mail the next day for the whole year. “I have no doubt that the liberalisation of the UK’s postal market has been a key driver to the improvement. It is no coincidence that record-breaking levels of performance are being achieved in the same year as the market is opened to full competition. I also believe Postwatch’s efforts on behalf of customers in publicly challenging poor performance standards in the past has been a contributory factor. “Whilst many customers will recognise that their postal service has improved I am conscious that customers in Northern Ireland have recently endured unofficial industrial action lasting over 2 weeks. These customers, unfortunately, will not see 2005/06 as the year Royal Mail got it right.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. To view the Royal Mail’s performance figures for the first three quarters of 2005/06 visit www.royalmailgroup.com/
2. Royal Mail’s performance over the Christmas period (first Monday in December to the first working day after the New Year bank holiday) is excluded from the Royal Mail’s performance targets. Poor Christmas performance does not impact on Royal Mail’s performance against the service targets in its licence.
3. The unofficial strike action in Belfast, which was triggered by a conduct case, severely affected mail moving in and out of Northern Ireland as well as within the Province. The strike started on 31 January and ended on 18 February.
4. Tables showing the best and worst performing postcode areas for the first 3 quarters of 2005/06 are below:
The following table shows the best performing postcode areas. This is based on the percentage of 1st Class Stamped and Metered items posted within that area arriving the next day.
Position |
Postcode Area Q1 - 3 |
Performance (%) |
1 |
SR Sunderland |
96.2 |
2 |
LN Lincoln |
96.0 |
2 |
TN Tonbridge |
96.0 |
4 |
S Sheffield |
95.9 |
4 |
WD Watford |
95.9 |
6 |
CA Carlisle |
95.8 |
7 |
DG Dumfries |
95.7 |
8 |
U Hull |
95.5 |
8 |
SY Shrewsbury & Mid Wales |
95.5 |
10 |
BH Bournemouth |
95.4 |
10 |
CT Canterbury |
95.4 |
10 |
LE Leicester |
5.4 |
10 |
SG Stevenage |
95.4 |
14 |
BD Bradford |
95.2 |
14 |
BL Bolton |
95.2 |
14 |
DN Doncaster |
95.2 |
14 |
M Sutton 9 |
5.2 |
18 |
AB Aberdeen |
95.1 |
18 |
BN Brighton |
95.1 |
18 |
IP Ipswich |
95.1 |
18 |
KA Kilmarnock |
95.1 |
18 |
KT Kingston |
95.1 |
18 |
NG Nottingham |
95.1 |
