YORK has lost confidence in its postal service.

That is the message that scores of Evening Press readers have been telling us over the past week.

Our offices have been inundated with calls from frustrated residents and business people, who are increasingly infuriated by what they say is the worsening service provided by Royal Mail.

Earlier this year, the company abolished the second post and made changes to its working practices in an attempt to cut soaring costs and improve efficiency.

Bosses repeatedly promised the public that the service would improve and all mail would arrive by midday.

But we have heard numerous tales of

Letters frequently arriving in the afternoon, and days late

Post regularly delivered to the wrong address

Parcels going missing

Complaints met with little response.

Caroline Crosbie, of Oakland Avenue, Heworth, was just one of many fed-up callers who told us that mail in her street was constantly being delivered to the wrong houses.

"The numbers are clear on the doors," she said. "It is as if they can't read. If I get my mail before 12.30pm I consider myself lucky. I have absolutely lost confidence in the Royal Mail."

Mary Clark, 81, of Fothergill Homes, Avenue Road, Clifton, said residents were constantly receiving post destined for Avenue Terrace.

"The Royal Mail forgets all the little people and you don't have any other choice," she said.

Alastair Larmour, of The Glade, Escrick, lamented the loss of his regular postman who delivered his mail for three years, "regular as clockwork" at 10am.

He said a second-class letter from his sister in Milton Keynes now takes four to five days to arrive, when before it took two.

"They seem to have wrecked what was a reasonably good service," he said. "I cannot see why it is beyond the ability of the Royal Mail to deliver mail on time most days."

Ian James, of Cameron Grove, York, told us that chasing parcels has become a "twice weekly occupation".

"Parcels for which delivery had been attempted became confused with parcels yet to be delivered, promised redelivery dates were not met, and everything descended into total confusion," he said.

"After speaking to a supervisor at Leeman Road, the promised written apology, which I could have used as a basis for reclaiming postal charges paid to redeliver items, never arrived. Perhaps it got lost in the post?"

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "Royal Mail's operating licence does not specify a set delivery time. Our aim is to deliver all mail by lunchtime in urban areas and by mid-afternoon in rural areas, and we are achieving that aim.

"We will, of course, continue to work with the union and staff to look for ways to improve service."

Updated: 08:30 Monday, May 17, 2004