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IN a report issued by the Commons' Business and Trade Committee, that says Ofcom has failed to change Royal Mail's:- "unacceptable" performance amid fears it is:- "not up to the job" of regulating a postal market that is growing in competition and complexity. Despite receiving Ofcom fines every year since 2022, Royal Mail continues to draw criticism from communities in Southport and beyond, with the service consistently failing to meet its own regulated targets.

From:- April 2025 to January 2026, just 74.9% of 1st Class mail was delivered the next day (18.1 percentage points below the target). The Committee estimates that this translates into approximately 126 million 1st Class letters arriving late over the year. The Committee says Ofcom must deliver better regulation of the postal market, including:- Access mail and services delivered by Royal Mail's competitors. If it fails to do so within 6 months of this Report, the Secretary of State should consult on statutory changes:- "to ensure it is fit for the 21st Century postal market"

Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Committee, said:- "Millions of people are paying the price for a postal service that is simply not delivering. Hospital appointments missed, benefit decision notices delayed, fines arriving too late to challenge: these are not minor inconveniences, and they are the consequences of a national service failing to meet the standards the public has every right to expect. Despite years of fines and missed targets, Royal Mail's performance remains unacceptable and Ofcom has failed to drive the change that is needed at the pace that is needed. We were deeply concerned by the apparent lack of any serious investigation into whether letters are being deprioritised in favour of more profitable parcels. We recognise that the postal market has changed beyond recognition. Major logistics firms are effectively hiving off profits while relying on Royal Mail's universal service network to reach harder to serve parts of the country. The universal service remains one of Britain's great civic guarantees. But confidence in it is ebbing away, and Ofcom now has 6 months to prove it has the power and drive to regulate the 21st Century postal market."

Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport and the Northern Parishes, said:- "The poor service being provided by Royal Mail is one of the issues most frequently raised with me by constituents across Southport and the Northern Parishes. People rightly expect post to arrive on time, whether it's hospital appointments, legal documents, bills or important financial information. When those deliveries are delayed, it can have serious consequences for individuals and families. I fully support the conclusions of the Committee's report and the call for stronger accountability from both Royal Mail and Ofcom. Communities like ours deserve a postal service that people can rely on. If any resident continues to experience ongoing issues with Royal Mail deliveries, I would encourage them to contact my office so we can continue raising these concerns directly."

Liverpool (Gladstone)

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