Residents have raised concerns over delays to postal services, with people missing out on key hospital or GP appointments.
Royal Mail has been criticised by County Durham residents in Wingate, Blackhall and Hesleden villages for continued delays.
Councillor Rob Crute, Labour ward member for Blackhalls and Hesledens, said residents deserve better.
Cause of the delays
Royal Mail apologised and said the delays were partly down to staff shortages and poor weather.
Cllr Crute said he has been inundated with messages from residents concerned about their post throughout January and, in some cases, the delays have gone on since before Christmas.
“I’ve been contacted by several residents in the Blackhall and Hesleden area since the early part of this month, expressing their concerns about delays to mail deliveries and a perceived failure on the part of Royal Mail to ensure postal deliveries,” he said.
Easington MP Grahame Morris has also raised concerns with Royal Mail over the issues.
Cllr Crute comment
“The inconvenience of missing a letter now and then is bad enough, but these persistent and prolonged delays are having potentially serious consequences for local people and businesses.
“I’ve been told by many residents that they’ve missed out on GP and hospital appointments and other essential correspondence.”
Reports of postal delays in Blackhall and Hesleden villages come after residents in Wynyard, near Stockton, also reported missing post earlier this month. Properties in Hartlepool are also believed to be affected.
Royal Mail response
Responding to the concerns, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We understand how concerning delays to letter deliveries can be, particularly for people who rely on the post for essential information. We would reassure residents that the vast majority of letters are arriving as expected.
“More recently, short-term staffing pressures and poor weather earlier this month did affect some routes. We’re working to ensure all routes receive regular and reliable service and will continue to monitor performance closely.”
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