Royal Mail has issued an apology to customers after warning of significant delivery delays affecting parts of London and several other areas across the United Kingdom. The service disruptions, which began on Monday, December 1, are expected to impact post arriving on Tuesday, December 2.
What Caused the London Delivery Delays?
The problems stem from two key incidents in the capital. Firstly, a delivery vehicle failed to depart on schedule from the Princes Royal Hub in Stonebridge Park, Brent, on Monday night. This logistical hiccup means that mail destined for addresses across London and the South East is likely to arrive later than expected.
Separately, Royal Mail has confirmed there have been issues with processing and dispatching mail from the Romford Mail Centre over the past 24 hours. This specifically affects post sent from the East London postcode areas E, IG, and RM. Items posted from these zones for delivery to other parts of the UK may not reach their destination on time.
Nationwide Impact: 10 Postcodes Facing Disruption
The delays are not confined to London. Royal Mail has identified ten postcode areas outside the capital where deliveries are also experiencing hold-ups today. The affected delivery offices and their postcodes are:
- Gloucester North DO (GL3, GL4)
- Plymouth North DO (PL2, PL3)
- Pontefract DO (WF7, WF8, WF9, WF11)
- Whitwood DO (WF6, WF10)
In an official statement, Royal Mail explained: "We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week. In a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible due to local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing, or other local factors."
The company added that it rotates deliveries in affected areas to minimise delays and provides targeted support to restore normal service levels. "We're sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding," the statement concluded.
Christmas Posting Urgency Highlighted
These delays come at a critical time as the festive posting season gets into full swing. The Post Office has separately urged the public to organise sending their Christmas parcels well in advance. It predicts that Monday, December 8, will be its busiest day in branches this year.
According to a survey commissioned by the Post Office, Britons plan to send more gifts this Christmas compared to last year, with the figure rising from 20% to 33%. However, only a third (33%) intend to post their items by early to mid-December. A worrying 8% admit they will leave everything until the week leading up to Christmas Day.
For those needing to send items, it's worth remembering that Post Office branches offer services for multiple carriers. Customers can drop off prepaid parcels not only for Royal Mail and Parcelforce but also for Amazon, DPD, DHL, and Evri at selected branches.
