Royal Mail delays

SIR – Letters on the failings of Royal Mail (January 20) have not yet mentioned failure to deliver fixedpenalty notices issued by local authorities for traffic violations.

Many of these penalties can be reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 21 days of the date of service. The penalty can also be increased by 50 per cent if not paid within 28 days and enforcement action can be taken to recover the penalty. An appeal may be made, but with a strict time limit of 28 days from the date of service, after which no such action can be taken.

Typically a council will say that the date of service is two days after the date of posting, which should be acceptable provided Royal Mail delivers within its target times.

Given reports of delays it is possible that people might be unable to pay the reduced penalty and that some may incur extra charges and enforcement action through no fault of their own. David Muir

Bristol

SIR – Before we see further increases in postal charges inflicted on the public by Royal Mail, and given the numerous complaints about its service, is it not time to revert to the pre-1960s system and eliminate first and second class?

The extra charge for a first-class stamp of 19 pence is totally unjustified

and contrary to any reasonable trade description. David Robinson

Witney, Oxfordshire

SIR – The parcel my sister, Sue Lovett, sent me on January 13 (Letters, January 20), for which she paid a next-day fee, still hasn’t arrived here a week later. I so hope it doesn’t contain pork chops. Patricia Evans

Sandhurst, Berkshire

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