Islanders picking up own mail as staffing crisis hits

A crisis has hit Royal Mail deliveries on Islay as a severe staff shortage put 'intolerable' pressure on posties.

 

Islanders are facing waiting weeks for mounting mail, or have to pick it up from Port Ellen Delivery Office.

 

In October, a second-class letter posted from Bowmore's hospital took over a fortnight to arrive at an islander's home in Port Ellen.

 

Another letter, from a mainland hospital, took over a week, costing the recipient that appointment. 'I will have to wait another four months,' they said.

 

Kintyre and the Islands councillor Alastair Redman, who lives on Islay, said on Monday October 31 that he had not had any mail in two weeks.

 

His father had not had any in three. The next day, the former subpostmaster in Portnahaven received eight first- and second-class letters, in which the oldest was mailed over a month ago on September 26.

 

'Some of them had more recent dates, which is indicative of them being stacked up,' Councillor Redman said. 'They all arrived on the same day. First or second class is not making any difference.'

 

That weekend, Royal Mail staff sorted and handed out mail village by village.

 

On the island's Facebook page, on Friday October 28, a post giving 'Islay mail info' said: 'We know how frustrated people are with the current situation regarding delivery of mail on Islay.

 

'What you may not be aware of, however, is the fact that we are severely short staffed and simply do not have the numbers required to complete all the delivery routes on any given day. Until such time as we have any new employees starting, this will continue to be the case.

 

'To try to somewhat resolve this we will sort all the mail tomorrow morning (Saturday) into delivery routes and people can come to the office and collect any mail they are waiting on and that we have - I will post tomorrow when we have sorted an area to advise that collection can be made.

 

'We are sorry for all the inconvenience but the pressure on staff still here is becoming intolerable and this is our only solution at present.'

 

Staff were swamped when more mail came on Monday October 31 - Hallowe'en.

 

'Due to the large number of items arriving on the island today, it will not be possible for us to answer the door if anyone comes,' said a post giving 'Islay mail info': 'Please do not come to the office as we will NOT answer it.'

 

An islander commented: 'Royal Mail are an absolute joke. Hallowe'en stuff ordered for kids weeks ago and looks like no hope of it arriving today. Not a dig at local staff as they are fantastic and do what they can. But head office should be ashamed of what has become of Royal Mail.'

 

The delivery office door reopened the next day, but 'you can only collect your own post', the Islay mail info message said.

 

Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto, who lives on Islay, said: 'Royal Mail had informed residents via a Facebook notice board that they would need to collect their own mail from the Port Ellen delivery office.

 

'This is of serious concern especially when many constituents are waiting to receive letters with details of hospital appointments which could be missed due to these delays. I have written to Royal Mail seeking urgent clarification on why this is happening and for information on what actions are being taken.'

 

A Royal Mail spokesperson told us: 'We do not operate a policy of requiring customers to collect their own mail on Islay. We are very sorry for any recent delays. We have been affected by some resourcing issues locally, which we are in the process of addressing.'