MPs slam Royal Mail after local delivery targets missed

2 July 2025

Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, and Victoria Collins, MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, have slammed Royal Mail as just 82.8% of first-class deliveries within AL postcodes were delivered on time, and 76.1% in HP postcodes - both well below the 93% target.

Missed and delayed deliveries within their constituencies are issues the MPs are all too familiar with, having repeatedly heard from local residents impacted and pressed Royal Mail to address this.

In St Albans - particularly in the Marshalswick and Jersey Farm areas - residents have reported irregular and delayed deliveries. In one instance, a resident reported going two weeks without a single postal delivery.

In Harpenden the story has been similar.

Both MPs have written to Royal Mail to raise constituents’ concerns and seek answers on numerous occasions. In response, Royal Mail suggested to Victoria (in May 2025) that disruption had been down to the implementation of “significant changes to the Royal Mail operation in St Albans” and assured the MP that “impact on deliveries to customers should be kept to an absolute minimum as the changes bed in.”

However, this data evidences a sustained issue with service reliability when it comes to first class deliveries, with 16.9% in HP postcodes delivered late during the 2024/25 financial year, and 10.2% in AL postcodes.

Daisy and Victoria are therefore demanding greater accountability on these missed targets, to help improve deliveries and turn around this unreliable service. They are urging the regulator, OFCOM, to step in urgently to address this.

Daisy said:

“These missed targets have gone on for far too long, and St Albans residents have been bearing the brunt of it.

“Delays to postal deliveries can be deeply disruptive and for many, can even bring risk of missing letters on matters like medical appointments or bank statements.

“I've heard from numerous residents impacted by this issue, and have sought answers from Royal Mail on many occasions. But such problems are clearly continuing, and St Albans residents deserve better.

“OFCOM must step in to hold Royal Mail accountable, and alongside this, I’ll keep pressing Royal Mail to address difficulties local residents are experiencing.”

Victoria said:

“I know just how worrying it can be to not know when you will next receive post, or when an important letter, often hospital appointments, will arrive. People rely on deliveries arriving on time to go about their lives, and shouldn’t have to put up with this disruption.

“People across Harpenden and Berkhamsted have been experiencing these delays and disruption for far too long and are, quite rightly, sick to the back teeth of it. 

“It’s vital that we see more effective regulation of the sector so targets cannot continue going unmet, and OFCOM taking action is a key part of this. And in the meantime, I stand ready to raise any issues constituents are experiencing with Royal Mail.”