Wigan borough residents report waiting up to four weeks for important post from Royal Mail

Wigan borough residents are complaining about the time taken for post to be delivered.

People say there have been delays in receiving important items from Royal Mail, including DVLA documents, bills and medical letters, and a borough MP has offered her support.

Royal Mail says “resourcing challenges” have affected deliveries in Wigan and they are working to recruit staff.

Calum Griffin, 44, from Winstanley, has been desperately waiting for DVLA documents so he can drive his car, which is crucial for his paving company.

He said: “We’ve not had any mail for four weeks. I’ve got a business and I’m waiting for letter from DVLA and HMRC. It’s getting quite frustrating, to be honest.

“I recently got a new car, so I changed the registration over but I’ve got no V5 logbook through the post, so I can’t part-exchange this other car. I can’t sell the car and I can’t drive it or anything.”

Calum says he has tried to contact Royal Mail to locate his missing post, but gave up after waiting for 90 minutes to speak to customer services.

Calum posted about his situation in Facebook and received nearly 50 comments.

He said: “A few businesses commented saying they’re in the same boat. There are people waiting for medical stuff and appointments. No-one is getting anything.”

Leigh and Atherton MP Jo Platt has raised concerns with Royal Mail following reports from constituents of significant delays to deliveries, including important correspondence relating to healthcare, bills and employment.

She has written to the Newton-le-Willows delivery office, which handles mail for residents in areas including Lowton and Golborne, and Leigh delivery office to raise concerns and call for improvements to the service.

Ms Platt said: “I continue to hear from residents about ongoing postal delays, which are understandably causing frustration. Residents have every right to expect their mail to be delivered within a reasonable timeframe, and I recognise the inconvenience and concern these continued delays are causing.

“These delays are resulting in important correspondence, including medical letters, appointment information, bills, employment-related correspondence and other essential notices, being received late or not within the required timeframe. When these letters arrive weeks late, it can have real consequences for people, including additional costs and unnecessary worry.

"I also recognise the significant pressures faced by our postal staff. My concerns are not directed at the frontline workers, who work tirelessly to serve our communities and do their utmost to deliver an effective and reliable service, often under challenging circumstances.

“While Royal Mail has introduced changes intended to improve its service, it is essential that these measures translate into tangible improvements in delivery performance.

"I will continue to raise residents' concerns directly with Royal Mail until we see the reliable postal service that people across Leigh and Atherton need and deserve.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We understand how important reliable deliveries are, particularly when customers are waiting for hospital appointments or other important letters, and we take concerns about delays very seriously.

“Resourcing challenges have recently affected some deliveries in Wigan and we are actively recruiting for temporary staff to support our posties.

“The local team is working hard to deliver any outstanding mail as quickly as possible. We know there is more to do and remain focused on restoring a reliable and consistent service for customers.”