Robert Halfon issues statement over lack of post deliveries to Harlow residents
General / Wed 30th Aug 2023 at 11:13am
ROBERT Halfon, Member of Parliament for Harlow and the villages, has released a statement pledging to do all he can to restore high-quality postal services across the town.
Mr Halfon has told YH that he shares the concerns of residents that post is too often late or not delivered at all across Harlow.
Commenting on the ongoing disruption to service, Mr Halfon said, “Thank you to local residents who have contacted me about the poor postal service across parts of Harlow at present.
“I share your concerns. It is wrong that letters and parcels which have been sent are not being delivered, despite correct postage being paid. Royal Mail have a universal service obligation and they must take urgent action to restore deliveries in Harlow and to clear the backlog.
“I have now written to Royal Mail a number of times to express my concerns and to demand a better service for Harlow people. I will continue to lobby them until they step up to the plate and deliver the service that Harlow people expect. I have also raised the concerns of local residents with the Government Minister to ensure Royal Mail can be held to account.
“I will continue to work hard to improve the postal services in Harlow and I will update residents and respond directly to everybody who has written to me as soon as I receive a response from Royal Mail.”
Tony Edwards
2023-08-30 11:29:47
Who Privatised The Royal Mail ? Answer the Conservatives in 2013. A Government Policy which you voted for Robert! It wasn't even a good deal for the taxpayer - see link https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06668/
Lostinthemiddle
2023-08-30 11:50:02
What does it have to do with privatisation? Amazon, Evri and other non public companies seem to be able to deliver stuff and track it for a similar fee. If we can’t get over the fact it isn’t in public ownership the problems will never get fixed. Even if it was in public ownership I imagine people being on strike etc would still happen. It’s just a shame the whole thing hasn’t been privatised so I can choose who to send my letters and then competition will mean any company not performing won’t get the business at the end of the day.
James Leppard
2023-08-30 12:28:07
Cllr Edwards, What has privatisation got to do with it? These issues have arisen in the last few weeks due to very local factors. They have nothing to do with the fact the service has remained of a very high quality for many years.
Emily
2023-08-30 13:25:15
I have friends outside Harlow who are having the same experience, James. I also know postal workers who say it’s entirely down to Royal Mail’s refocus on packages over letters and the way that the business is now being run. Privatisation has everything to do with it.
Tony Edwards
2023-08-30 13:33:00
Cllr Leppard what planet are you living on? - Since privatisation postal costs have risen massively and the letter delivery service has markedly deteriorated. Indeed the Parliamentary Select Committee stated in March this year - The "Royal Mail has deprioritised delivery of letters as a matter of company policy". https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/34403/documents/189470/default/
Phil
2023-08-30 13:58:29
Here we go. Councillor Leppard straight to the defence of the MP again!! I expect this is a softener, and to take our minds off other more pressing local matters. Is it to make sure the service is better in time for the election? Going to need as many ballot papers as possible for then. Is he waiting for urgent mail maybe? A letter from the Health Secretary maybe to say when the new hospital will be built!! Yawn, yawn , yawn...........
Luke Burton
2023-08-30 14:11:17
I was surprised to see how long it was taking my parents to receive letters from the hospital. Stuff that is dated 2-3 weeks ago arriving today. Shocking.
Voteforme
2023-08-30 15:20:30
Afraid I am chuckling that Mr Halfon says he has written to express his concerns (over non and late delivery of letters presumably). I wonder if his letters have got there. To be fair he does also say he has raised concerns with the govt minister
Peter
2023-08-30 16:21:13
Even Margaret Thatcher felt that privatisation of Royal Mail was one too far. At our local postbox, here in Sawbridgeworth, the 'Last Collection' (in reality, the only collection) has recently changed from 4.30pm to 9AM - and 7AM on Saturday!
Bruce Downey
2023-08-30 16:31:30
Isn’t some of this disruption due to the regular postman/women, been taken off their regular rounds? as reported in Your Harlow a little while ago.. so, if you see one wandering around please give directions 🔜🔚 as the estates are a maze.
Cp
2023-08-30 16:37:53
Life used to be so good.Lol. Now its just one huge problem after another every single day.All these people in charge lol could not organize a p**s up in a brewery.Useless😄😄😄😄
Charlie
2023-08-30 16:55:07
It's not only Royal Mail. Since the Main Post Office closed and reopened up as a small counter in the back of Smiths, the so called service has been abysmal. Hardly any more than 1 staffed till open and always a long queue in there. I went into Smiths yesterday, but thankfully I never needed to use the Post Office, as there was a notice on the door saying they were closing at 3.00. Disgusting, as Monday was a Bank Holiday when they were presumably closed all day. But it's not only the Post Office offering a poor service. Nearly all the retailers have far more self checkouts, than staffed ones, and these self service ones always seem to go wrong, and you end up having to call a member of staff for assistance. Surely be better to have these staff on a normal checkout.
Charlie
2023-08-30 16:56:44
Forgot to mention, that it is little wonder people are deserting the High Streets in their droves.
Richard Adams
2023-08-30 18:20:44
James Leppard seems to think this this has been going on only for a few weeks but I have been having trouble for the last two years. I have continuously been told by Royal Mail we are suffering from staff shortages in our area. I was last told that they would use postmen/women on alternate rounds to improve the delivery frequency. On average I have been getting one post every ten days if I am lucky, but still the post van delivers parcels down our street nearly every day. We all know Royal Mail's policy is to do away with the universal postal service. Lets hope Robert Halfon has some success in getting the rotten managment at the Royal Mail sacked. ( Excuse the pun)
Mark Lavender
2023-08-30 18:54:07
During the postal stoppages about this time last year, I am sure two pieces of mail never reached me. Any undelivered mail is a cause for concern but it makes you think what else may have gone missing. One in particular was a reminder - the upshot being I had to pay around £30 after uncovering my own error purely by chance one day. Otherwise it would have reached £100 by some stage. I did raise this issue with the persons concerned and our MP as it was related to the public sector. No one has come back to me with any constructive response since. I have ended up taking the hit. I have tolerances but £30, £100...? Where do you start in getting other parties involved? Is it really Royal Mail's fault? Or is it the fault of people like myself who aren't quick-witted to every single thing going on? I suspect it is neither. There will be others who would have experienced likewise if I was to disclose specifics, especially in a town reliant on the state for assistance.
Howard Sanders
2023-08-30 19:05:41
Every time an election comes around Mr Halfon raises his head above the parapet and this year is no exception. The Royal Mail service in general and the deliveries/collections in Harlow in particular have deteriorated every year since privatisation. Royal Mail management now run the business for profit only and not as the wonderful postal service it used to be. I speak as an ex postal worker with 42 years service. Shame on you Royal Mail management and Robert Halfon and his government for letting it happen.
Rob
2023-08-30 19:09:21
So apart from complaining to everyone and anyone and agreeing with the population what exactly is he going to do that’s “ all within his power” or is that it…probably. More hot air.
Nick Gunning
2023-08-30 19:10:33
Having two relatives who worked all their lives for the post office and royal mail, I feel saddened that the service they helped maintain for decades has become one person behind a glass screen for a main post office, and hospital appointment letters that arrive the days after the appointment time! Mr Halfon is often 'concerned' as a constituency MP, but this doesn't often convert into a vote in the Commons. The local Council are useless, too busy congratulating themselves on getting through the highly dubious hospital plan to observe the day to day real world. The same sorts of plundererers that seized Royal Mail are now lining up to help move our hospital out of the town centre and it of reach to those who need it most.
Mike
2023-08-30 19:35:26
Councillor Leppard. Of course its to do with privatisation! Look at the state of our railways; look at the problems with the water companies and the lack of investment that has led to all too frequent discharges of sewage in our seas and rivers; and what about the huge profits our privatised energy companies make while ordinary families struggle to heat their homes? It was inevitable that the Royal Mail would eventually suffer the same problems. Privatising our public companies, something the Tory Party are very keen on, only seems to benefit the (already rich) shareholders. I'm struggling to think of any success stories when it comes to public services being privatised.
Sean
2023-08-30 20:24:21
In defence of our Post Office, we have an excellent service always on time, nice happy lad as well, no issues to report whatsoever. (Delivery area Town Park Harlow)
Mike Neale
2023-08-30 20:36:25
My Sister in law posted a birthday card to me on the 3rd of August and my birthday us the 12th . It arrived a week later along with five others one was a local All had correct stamps on, dont think i will be bothering posting xmas cards this year. All our mail came along with a small square package all held together with an elastic band .yet another card my sister iin law posted to another family arrived the very next day to an address in Leicestershire
Mike Neale
2023-08-30 20:37:55
My Sister in law posted a birthday card to me on the 3rd of August and my birthday us the 12th . It arrived a week later along with five others one was a local All had correct stamps on, dont think i will be bothering posting xmas cards this year. All our mail came along with a small square package all held together with an elastic band .Yet another card my sister iin law posted to another family the same day arrived the very next day to an address in Leicestershire
Mary
2023-08-30 23:36:25
Been waiting for a replacement bank card which was apparently posted on 20 August. So inconvenient!
BW
2023-08-31 06:45:55
James Leppard I know Harlow has suffered since its services were contracted out. First to Kier now the Harlow Council owned HTS. We had boating hire and lakes, pitch and putt, play schemes where teenagers could go and take part in camping and sporting activities Council houses were well maintained and the parks and grass cutting were also excellent. I rember customer satisfaction running at 98%.I'm afraid the conservatives have ruined this country through privatisation and public spending cuts. Everyone knew and respected thier local postman and local police by name. All gone
Jeff
2023-08-31 08:24:33
Received mail Friday last week the first time in 4 weeks. A bundle of 20 letters some date marked 1st and 2nd of August.
David Forman
2023-08-31 08:51:39
Tony Edwards is correct about privatisation and the comments of a Parliamentary Select Committee. On page 13 of their report from March this year it states in paragraph 38: "Royal Mail is going through a troubled time, in terms of performance, finances, and relations between its management and the workforce. Its performance against the quality of service targets set by Ofcom has been consistently poor in recent years. Full-year results for each year since 2017–18 show that in each year Royal Mail has failed to meet: • its 93% target for first class delivery the following working day, • its 99% target for Special Delivery, and • its 99.90% target for delivery routes completed daily." See report at https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/34403/documents/189470/default/
tom
2023-08-31 10:54:22
Wow, i bet the management of royal mail are quaking in their boots at the thought of getting a letter from our useless mp. He states, and i quote, I will continue to lobby them until they step up to the plate bla bla. Well knock me down. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. He speaks the part but because he is so gutless nothing ever gets done unless he gets the ahead from his westminster masters. I have lived in harlow,on and off, since1952 and when i walk around it now it is a disgrace. Walking from my house in any direction i bet that i could find something wrong within a short distance which could be rectified easily. However we all know that this will not happen whilst we have a tory council, county council, government and a gutless useless mp in halfon. During my lifetime i have always shown respect to others. In my opinion respect is a two way street, it has to be earned not expected. You have done nothing what so ever to earn my respect. You lot are responsible for the many issues that are happening today in harlow so just do the right thing and go now
Nicholas Taylor
2023-08-31 12:22:33
If this is what our MP calls working hard, it is a good job he has never had to work on a shop floor in a factory. I cannot imagine the Royal Mail will take any notice of anything he says or does, it is a business after all and they will target deliveries on which they can make the most profit for shareholders.
Richard Kimble
2023-08-31 14:40:41
Lostinthemiddle 2023-08-30 11:50:02 What does it have to do with privatisation? Amazon, Evri and other non public companies seem to be able to deliver stuff and track it for a similar fee. If we can’t get over the fact it isn’t in public ownership the problems will never get fixed. Even if it was in public ownership I imagine people being on strike etc would still happen. It’s just a shame the whole thing hasn’t been privatised so I can choose who to send my letters and then competition will mean any company not performing won’t get the business at the end of the day. Royal Mail are regulated and the only company (although I appreciate they may be failing) operating under the Universal Service Obligation meaning a one price goes anywhere . You allude to Amazon who are an online retailer with goods dispatched from their own often regional warehouses. You further mention about ‘the whole thing’ being privatised. Well the liberalisation of postal markets came about as an EU directive long before privatisation. Any company who could satisfy the regulator can gain a licence to complete end to end letter delivery. There is one obvious reason they chose not to. Although people may bemoan the stamp prices and increases seen since privatisation this is largely because they were kept artificially low when in government hands due to cross subsidy of other products. There is no money to be made from letter delivery. You will not see Jeff Bezos delivering your gas bill or Christmas cards anytime soon.
Sue
2023-08-31 19:32:46
I wouldn’t hold your breath ! Seriously….. You have written to them ? I wouldn’t expect them to get the letter for another 25 / 26 days or so. I had 16 yes ……. 16 letters delivered together yesterday. Some dated 3rd August !! Time sensitive NHS letters etc. GOOD LUCK is all I can say …
30 Comments for Robert Halfon issues statement over lack of post deliveries to Harlow residents: