As many of you will know the recent bad weather has caused massive disruption to the postal system.
It has been brought to our attention that there are big backlogs at both Royal Mail and Parcel Force depots and it’s possible that some shipments will not be delivered in time for Christmas.
We have emailed all customers were applicable tracking numbers for their parcels. (Last two days). This will allow you to check the status of your order and make arrangements to collect from delivery depots on the 24th if the drivers are unable to reach you.
Please see below press releases from Parcel Force and Royal Mail.
Parcel Force - Service update – Wednesday 23rd December
The very heavy snowfall across much of Scotland overnight has severely impacted our vehicles in and out of Scotland during the night. As a result, we will only be able to undertake minimal deliveries today of parcels collected in Scotland yesterday for delivery across the UK and of parcels due for delivery in Scotland today. We have also had to suspend collections across the majority of Scotland today.
Also, the continuing freezing conditions in many other parts of the UK is still making deliveries and collections very difficult. This is particularly the case in outlying rural areas and many residential areas where the roads remain untreated. There are particular problems in some areas of Kent, areas around Oxford, Reading and Aldershot, the North West around Preston and Carlisle and areas around Welwyn Garden City and Luton to the north of London.
We are obviously working very hard to make as many deliveries as we safely can, but it is expected that there will still be some disruption to deliveries today.
Our priority is to ensure that we deliver all parcels on hand in time for Christmas and as a result there are a number of postcode areas where we will be unable to perform collections on Wednesday 23rd December. These are as follows:
AL1-10, BA5-6, BA16 & BA20-22, BD13-15, BD20, BD22 & BD23-24, BR1-8, BS6, BS37 & BS39-40, CA1-28 & CA95, CB1-11, CH3, CH4 & CH6-8, CO1-16, CR0, CR2-3, CR5 & CR8, CT1-21, DA1-18, DG1-14 & DG16, DL6-15, DN1-12, DN14-22 & DN55, E1, E3, E4, E6, E7, E10-18, EN7-11, HD3-4 & HD7-9, HP1-8 & HP16-23, HX2 & HX 6-7, IG1-11, IP1-23, IP28-33 & IP96, KT16, KT20 & KT23-24, L39-40 & L67-75, LA1-10 & LA11-23, LL11-49 & LL51-78, LS14, LS16-21, LS23-25 & LS27-29, LU1-7, M1-35, M38, M40-41, M43-46, M50, M60, M90 & M99, ME1-20, MK1-19, MK40-46 & MK77, NN12-13, OL1-16 & OL95, PE1-4, PE6-7, PE13-16, PE19, PE26-29 & PE38, PO1-22 & PO30-41, RG1-2, RG4-10, RG12, RG21-31, RG40-42 & RG45, RM1-20, S1-14, S17-18, S20-21, S25-26, S32-33, S35-36, S40-45, S49, S60-66, S70-75, S80-81 & S96-98, SA48 8 & SA43 3, SG1-19, SK1-8, SK12-16 & SK22, SN8-9, SO14-24, SO30-32, SO40-43, SO45 & SO50-53, SP1-4 & SP9-11, TN1-40, TS12-14, WF4, WF8, WF12, WF14, WF15 & WF17, WN1-8, YO14-18, YO21-22, YO61-62, and all postcodes starting with BB, BL, BN, FY, PR and RH, along with the majority of postcode areas in Scotland.
We sincerely apologise for inconvenience caused by this disruption.
Royal Mail Dear Customer,
As you’re probably aware, severe weather conditions including heavy snowfall are affecting parts of the country today. As someone who has opted to receive information about disruption to services, we’re writing to you to let you know how the weather is affecting some parts of our UK mail network.
In most parts of the country, mail services are operating normally. In the areas affected by heavy snowfall, we are maintaining mail services wherever possible and it is safe for us to do so.
Information about mail delivery services
Deliveries in most of Northern England have been taking place as usual today. However, deliveries in some rural parts of North East and North West England have been disrupted today. Where road conditions have been impassable, we may not have not been able to perform normal deliveries. Additionally in some areas where delivery has been possible, volumes of mail may have been lighter and delivery times later than usual.
We will resume normal mail deliveries in all areas as soon as we possibly can. As is usual at this time of year, we plan to be out delivering over the weekend to assist with seasonal mail volumes and are completely committed to getting mail to customers as quickly as possible.
Information about mail collection services
Today, we will collect mail from customers wherever it is safe and possible to do so, although collection times may be subject to some changes. In areas where we have been unable to deliver today or where snow has made driving conditions dangerous, we may not be able to collect from you as we usually do.
In Yorkshire and the North East these are, in the main, rural areas surrounding Bradford (BD), Huddersfield (HD), and Sheffield. Some collections may not be possible in York (YO), Harrogate (HG), Ilkley, Otley and Wetherby. In the North East, collections may not be possible in rural parts of Teeside (TS), Darlington (DL), Durham (DH) and Newcastle (NE).
In the North West, collections will be made in almost all areas. In rural areas around Buxton and Macclesfield (SK), Rossendale in the BB postcode area and rural parts of the CA and LA postcode areas some collections may not be possible.
If we are unable to collect from you but you need to get mail into our network the following alternatives are available. Mail can be taken to any Post Office® as we will be endeavouring to pick up from Post Office branches. To find your nearest branch, visit http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branchlocator . You can also, hand mail over at one of our regional mail centres if you can get there safely. Please click here for the mail centres in your region and their acceptance times. Alternatively you can hold on to your mail and we will plan to collect all mail as usual on Monday 21st December.
We have established contingency plans in operation and we will continue to keep mail services running normally wherever it is safe and possible to do so.
For more information about mail services in your area, please go to our website http://www.royalmail.com/serviceupdates. Alternatively, you can call your usual Royal Mail contact or the Business Service Helpline on 08457 950950.
Further snowfalls are forecast today and over the weekend. We’ll continue to work hard to keep normal services running for customers and if the situation changes, we’ll be sure to let you know.
Regards,
Royal Mail Customer Services
