AFTER the Royal Mail's decision to discontinue the second postal delivery, but arranging for a "pre-lunch" delivery in our area, I was pleased to see that, for the first two days of the new arrangement, my mail was delivered at 9.10am and 9.15am.

The third day it was 10.30am and since then it has not been before 11.30am, and at varying times thereafter, the time of the latest delivery being 2.37pm.

As secretary to three local voluntary organisations I appreciate the city's "business community' needs its mail early. I too need to receive and deal with my mail early in the day if I am going to give a prompt and efficient service before leaving for town.

I have no intention of paying an extra fee to have mail delivered early, nor do I intend to cross to the other side of the city to pick up mail at 8.30am because I have neither the time nor the money to waste.

Given that there is now only one delivery a day, is mail carrying second class postage to be given equal priority with first class? I think not.

In view of the "estimated new delivery times" one can only assume Royal Mail managers take very late lunches.

R Hutchinson,

Manor Park Close, York.

...THE Royal Mail has served its country well but what has gone wrong? Is the introduction of a private mail system in the offing? If Royal Mail doesn't get its act together it will soon be here.

Private couriers seem to be providing a much more reliable service for its customers, and these services are increasing. Royal Mail will have to look at its future role for staff and customers otherwise it will be overtaken by the private sector. Do we want this?

Keith Chapman,

Custance Walk,

St Benedict Road,

Nunnery Lane, York.

Updated: 11:21 Tuesday, February 10, 2004