Royal Mail stops delivering to remote Scottish Highland community over 'safety concerns'

Four remote homes in the Highlands are deemed too distant and inaccessible for postmen and women

Deliveries to remote Highland homes are taking far too long for postmen and women, according to Royal Mail (Reuters)

Residents living in a remote Scottish Highland community will no longer receive home delivered parcels and letters after the Royal Mail said it was too dangerous for postmen and women to get to.

Four isolated Highland homes have had door deliveries suspended and will now have to travel to the nearest village of Halkirk, which is also home to one of the UK’s most northern train stations.

Royal Mail cited the lack of a mobile phone signal needed for emergency situations and the “poor” condition of small roads in the area.

“Suspension of delivery is not something we do lightly but we need to ensure that all our people are working in a safe environment”, a spokeswoman for Royal Mail told The Independent.

“Our people are spending an hour round trip to deliver the mail”.

Ofcom regulations state that postmen and women should not spend more than 15 minutes on a single trip to deliver mail.

Royal Mail said that residents of the community will be able to collect mail from a nearby accessible address or from Halkirk’s village depot.

Residents are reportedly planning to launch an appeal against Royal Mail’s decision, which is thought to affect around 15 people living in the postcode, according to the Scotsman.