Royal Mail bosses have defended changing collection times of post boxes across Nantwich.
It comes after it emerged changes were made to a number of post boxes around the town.
Collection times are now as early as 9am Monday to Friday, instead of 5.15pm.
It could mean many first class letters posted after 9am may not be collected until the following day, and therefore not delivered until the day after that.
Royal Mail today blamed drop in letter volumes which means post boxes are not “covering their costs”.
Nantwich resident Phil Dodd, who regularly uses one on Davenport Avenue, said: “I know of at least two other post boxes that are the same, one in Arnold Street and one in Shrewbridge Road, there are probably more.
“Many members of the public are unaware of this, thinking there is still a later collection.
“Royal Mail have effectively given themselves an extra day to deliver the post and as far as I’m aware, they have made no effort to let us know of these changes.”
Mail used to be collected by van from Nantwich post boxes at around 5pm to 5.15pm.
Now it is collected by postmen/women who go past on their morning rounds, often as early as 9am.
“If you post a first class letter just after 9am, it might not be collected until 9am the following morning, and not delivered until the day after that,” Phil added.
“People tend not to check collection times on the post box as they have not been told about changes.
“A 9am collection means they are collecting, in the main, the previous days’ post.
“Very little post will have been posted before 9am on that morning.
“People think a first class letter or Christmas card they posted is being delivered the following day when in actual fact it has only just been collected.”
Royal Mail spokesperson Sally Hopkins, told Nantwichnews: “We can confirm some low-use postboxes in the Nantwich area changed the time of their final collection, with the mail picked up by postmen and women as part of their delivery rounds.
“This is typically between 9am and 3pm in urban and suburban areas Monday to Friday and no earlier than 7am on a Saturday.
“Customers can check if the box has been emptied as the day indicator tab on the postbox will be changed to show the following day once the mail collection has been made.
“First Class items posted in the box before the collection has been made will be delivered the next working day.
“These changes are driven by a significant decline in letter volumes that means many postboxes no longer cover their costs.
“Instead of taking the step to decommission uneconomic postboxes, Royal Mail has introduced changes to its collections arrangements.
“We would like to reassure all our customers in Nantwich we retain a high level of access to late collection posting facilities (4pm or later) locally.
“Notices on affected boxes give details of boxes with a later final collection time.
“These boxes include the one in the main square outside WHSmith and the one on Pepper Street outside the Post Office branch.
“There will be no impact or changes to mail deliveries in this area.”
There are two post boxes near me, on Marsh Lane and Lea Drive. The one on Lea Drive is small and is little used and has a slot where a small token shows the next collection day, so you can see whether you have missed the collection. The one on Marsh Lane is larger and has been heavily used in the past, occasionally containing so much mail that it’s absolutely full. And it doesn’t display the day of the next collection, so you don’t know know whether you’ve missed the postman. Which one would you change to a 9am collection time? It’s obvious, isn’t it? So why did Royal Mail change the Marsh Lane one to 9am collection? I have complained and they said they would look at my complaint, but of course nothing has happened.
Not only is in Nantwich that they have changed last posting times , The last posting time at he main royal mail office in Weston Road is now 5:30. Not sure how royal mail can now justify a 1 st and 2 nd class post . Royal mail seem to justify the time changes because postage volumes are lower but did n’t they use the same arguement to justify a price increase for stamps. They cannot have it both ways.