ROYAL Mail is being urged to introduce a better system for delivering parcels after customers were this week caught up in long queues while collecting their items.
On Monday, customers trying to pick up Christmas parcels from the Royal Mail's depot in Midland Road faced a lengthy wait.
And for some, their frustration was compounded as they got parking tickets while inside the depot.
Readers commenting on the situation on the Derby Telegraph's website called for improvements.
Writing on the site, DerbyBorn said: "It is an unbelievably inadequate service. I dread getting a card saying there is a parcel to be collected. Something better is needed."
When Royal Mail cannot deliver a parcel because the homeowner is out, a card is posted through their letterbox telling them where the item can be picked up – usually a Royal Mail sorting office or a Post Office branch.
Alternatively, customers can request their parcel be redelivered free of charge.
They can also ask for the parcel to be placed in a nominated "safe place" or with a neighbour.
Christmas shopping over the internet has increased year-on-year and due to the volume of parcels sent in the past few weeks, a number of people have gone to collect the items from Royal Mail.
Yesterday(17), the Derby Telegraph highlighted the problems experienced by some customers at Midland Road. This led readers to take to the paper's website – www.derbytelegraph.co.uk – to vent their frustrations.
Reader Wedjateye said: "I had a card pushed through my letterbox today saying they'd left a parcel in my 'official safe place', which they claim was my garage.
"I've never nominated a 'safe place' and my garage is always locked. Guess what, no parcel! Anyone's guess what and where it is now."
Ksdhindsa79 said: "I too went to collect a package about a week ago. On seeing the huge queue as we approached, my wife and I quickly decided to drive back home. Royal Mail just don't have the staff and the last thing I wanted to do was join a queue which was almost 50 metres long."
MatthewJB said: "I'm glad I chose to have my parcel redelivered on Wednesday. That said, I'm not sure how I missed the delivery. The postman must have quite a gentle knock!"
Royal Mail has said it "makes every effort to deliver mail to customers first time".
It also apologised to customers who had experienced delays in collecting parcels – and said that it had extended the opening times of its offices to allow people more time to pick them up.
Royal Mail recently became a private company – a move which was resisted by the Communication Workers' Union, which warned the service could suffer.
The union raised the threat of a Christmas strike but this was averted earlier this month after it reached an agreement on pay and pensions.
Chris Sheldon, the CWU branch secretary covering Derby, said: "The fact is, more of us are shopping online, which means more parcels.
"In this respect, the Derby delivery office has not moved with the times and needs investment. There is a joint agreement between the union and the company to see delivery offices updated.
"I believe there is a lack of staff in the delivery office – I would urge customers caught up in the queues not to take out their frustrations on my fellow members working there. They are doing the best job they can."
