London post-code areas worst in the country

West and South West London bottom of the league again

The 20 worst performing postcode areas by percentage of first class mail delivered next working day, April 2002- Sept 2003

Postcode area

%

1 SW London SW

 87.3
2 CM Chelmsford

88.8
3 WA Warrington 89.4
4 WV Wolverhampton 89.6
5 DY Dudley 89.8
6 W London West 89.9
7 BA Bath 90.0
7 Stoke on Trent 90.0
7 SS Southend-on-Sea

90.0
8 SY Shrewsbury and Mid Wales 90.2
8 WS Walsall 90.2

9 NR Norwich

 90.3
10 TF Telford

90.5
11 SE London SE

90.6
11 S Stockport 90.6
11 B Birmingham 90.6
12 MK Milton Keynes 90.7
13 WC London West Central

90.8

13 SA Swansea 90.8

13 BS Bristol

 90.8





Royal Mail’s performance figures published today for the first half of 2003/04 show it is still failing to meet seven out of 15 minimum performance targets. Performances for the second six months will be affected by official and unofficial industrial action.

Once again London post-codes figure prominently in the bottom 20 areas for delivering first class mail by the next working day. The SW area once again was the worst in the country and the W area saw a further deterioration in performance.

Royal Mail is still failing targets including First Class Postage Paid Impression (PPI) and First Class Response Services, for which the industry regulator Postcomm fined the company £7.5 million for its failure in performance last year.

Commenting on the results. Peter Carr Chairman of Postwatch, said: "It is good news that 1st and 2nd class mail, the standard retail parcel and special delivery are all achieving above the minimum performance levels expected. Royal Mail is, however, still struggling to meet all its minimum performance targets across its product range. Efforts to do so for the year will, of course, have been badly affected by the recent strike action. It looks like customers will have to wait, yet again, to experience the service levels that they expect and which Royal Mail are obliged to deliver"

December 5, 2003

Last year's Data

Postwatch