Royal Mail customers in Somerset say they have been left waiting hours to collect crucial post after going as long as six weeks without home deliveries.
Frustrated residents trying to retrieve important parcels faced what they described as a “horrendous” queue outside the Bridgwater delivery office this week, with some forced to sit on a wall as they waited.
Locals said the disruption has left them without vital mail, including prescription medication, official documents, bank statements and credit cards.
Some residents claim they have received no post for up to six weeks and have even missed key appointments because letters failed to arrive. Royal Mail bosses, however, said staff sickness had contributed to a backlog of undelivered mail.
Customers were told they could collect their post during two-hour windows, from 8am to 10am and again from 4pm to 6pm, leading to long queues outside the Friarn Street Royal Mail delivery office.
Among those caught up in the delays was support worker Tina Hucker, 56, who spent her day off standing in line to check whether her prescription medication was being held at the depot.
She said: “As things have happened now, I’ve come here several times and the queues have been horrendous. I’m coming back to give it a last go, or I’m going to have to order more meds again, but I don’t know if they’ll turn up as they normally do because of this issue.”
Royal Mail customers in Bridgwater, Somerset, have been made to wait for hours to collect essential post after claiming they received no deliveries for up to six weeks.
Simon Reynolds said he last received a letter six weeks ago, and claimed his local postman had told him that several extra rounds had been added to his route
‘I don’t want to over-order meds if they’re just sat here. If I order more meds, will I get the same problem again? Will the doctor approve them? The doctor only approves what’s needed.
‘I can’t remember the last time I got post – months. I’ve had to park over the other side of town to wait in the queue. I’ve never seen this before. I don’t know how long it’s going to be, or if I’ll get in before six o’clock. Luckily it’s my day off today, so I’m able to come and wait here.’
Jerry Lomax, a local resident who is planning on going on holiday next week, said he has been waiting on a credit card for over a fortnight.
‘They keep telling me I need to activate it, otherwise they’re going to null and void it,’ he said.
‘How long am I going to have to wait? I can’t do the morning times, because I’m working. I work until 5pm tomorrow, so there’s no chance I’ll have time – then on Thursday, I’m supposed to be flying to Lisbon. If I didn’t have important documents, I’d probably let it go, but it’s stuff I need.’
Retiree Jon Smith, 75, has also faced issues over the delays, stating: ‘I haven’t had any post in a long while – three, maybe four weeks – and somebody told me they’re holding all the post here for collection. I’ve been waiting for different things like bank statements.’
Partners Kieron and Shannon expressed concern over elderly and disabled residents, who may be unable to wait in long queues by a busy road.
Kieron said: ‘It’s quite an inconvenience. The queue the other day was all the way down the road – waiting for hours to pick up our post. It’s time-consuming – people have other things to do.
‘We’ve had to do it a couple of times now. I can imagine for people with disabilities, it’s not easy. It’s not exactly safe for us just sat on the road – it’s not ideal.’
Shannon added: ‘I got an email from Royal Mail saying I need to come and collect my parcel – they didn’t even try and deliver it. They’re not even attempting to post it. I had letters delivered three days ago – about ten letters – but not for a couple of weeks before that.’
Fed-up locals desperate to collect vital parcels had to stand in a ‘horrendous’ queue and sit on a wall outside a delivery office this week
Another resident, Simon Reynolds, said he last received a letter six weeks ago, and claimed his local postman had told him that several extra rounds had been added to his route.
He said: ‘We’re getting no post, and a lot of this is strange. Some people are saying it’s a couple of hours they’ve been here for. It is an inconvenience – you expect your mail to come to your house, that’s the service.’
A Royal Mail spokesperson said short-term staff sickness had affected deliveries in parts of Bridgwater.
They said: ‘We know how important it is that customers receive their mail when expected and take concerns about deliveries very seriously.
‘Short-term sickness has affected deliveries in parts of Bridgwater. Additional staffing is now in place and our posties are working to clear any outstanding mail as quickly as possible. We expect services in the affected areas to return to normal over the coming week.’
