NI town mail deliveries hit by Covid-19

Magherafelt is included in a Royal Mail list of 28 areas across the UK suffering from limited delivery services as more of its workforce is affected by coronavirus.
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Post codes BT45 and BT46 (Maghera area) are said to be hit by increasing numbers of postal staff off sick or self-isolating.

Local SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone says he has raised the issue with Royal Mail.

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He said while he appreciates it is "a difficult situation for everyone", many people who are confined to their homes, especially the elderly, depend on receiving a regular mail delivery.

Covid-19 hits deliveries in Magherafelt area.Covid-19 hits deliveries in Magherafelt area.
Covid-19 hits deliveries in Magherafelt area.

Mr McGlone said the situation impacted on both private residents and businesses.

"People could be waiting on important mail such as a medical appointment, and I am seeking an assurance from Royal Mail that everything possible is being done to address the situation," he said.

In a statement published with the list on its website, Royal Mail said it was working hard to deliver the most comprehensive and high quality service they can to all its customers despite the pandemic and the associated rise in pressure on delivery resources due to increased online shopping.

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The statement continues: “The combination of greatly increased uptake of online shopping, and the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, mean that all delivery companies are experiencing exceptionally high volumes.

“Every single parcel and letter is important to us. Despite our best efforts and significant investment in extra resource, some customers may experience slightly longer delivery timescales than our usual service standards.

“This is due to the exceptionally high volumes we are seeing, exacerbated by the coronavirus-related measures we have put in place in local mail centres and delivery offices to keep our people and customers safe.

“In such cases, we always work hard to get back to providing our usual level of service as quickly as we can.”

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