LETTERS: Our first-class Royal Mail

From Mr Ken Wright

Sir: Your readers can be reassured that Royal Mail does not "deliberately delay" its first delivery ("Postal union sets a deadline", 26 December) "to accommodate post that should be sent out later". Quite the opposite happens.

Royal Mail's investment in technology, combined with improvements in moving mail across the country, has resulted in a substantial increase in the volume of mail arriving in time for the first delivery.

More than 90 per cent of the daily total of 67 million letters is now delivered on the first delivery. Royal Mail customers also benefit by getting more than 92 per cent of their first-class mail delivered on the next working day after posting.

The overwhelming majority of Royal Mail customers want their mail as soon as it is available and our aim is to meet their wishes.

But let me make it quite clear: second deliveries will continue. No second delivery has been withdrawn and none will be, anywhere in the UK.

The improvements to service standards do have resourcing implications. Rising mail volumes on first delivery have resulted in increased use of part-time staff. We are presently in discussions with the Communication Workers Union to seek new work around the second delivery which we believe will further enhance our service and maintain employment security for our employees.

Yours faithfully

Ken Wright

Assistant Managing Director

Royal Mail

London, EC1

28 December