Customers are playing significantly more for first class service and are not getting value for money on one in seven letters

Postwatch Chairman, Gordon Donaldson

The survey by the postwatch focus group also found that north Wales had the worst performance figures for the whole of Wales.

Chairman of the group Gordon Donaldson said: "Although the Autumn quarter results show an upward trend, it was disgraceful that as much as 14.2% of mail posted first class did not arrive the next working day.

"Customers are paying significantly more for first class service and are not getting value for money on one in seven letters."

However performance figures from April to November 2001 also showed a 5% improvement on the previous period.

Mr Brownhill said the statistics revealed an encouraging increase.

We apologise to customers who have received a less than acceptable service

Royal Mail Manager Graham Brownhill

"While we are pleased to see a gradual improvement in first class and second class quality of service results in the LL and CH postcodes area of north Wales, we do recognise that there is still more work to be done," he said.

"We apologise to customers who have received a less than acceptable service."

Mr Brownhill added: "Royal Mail acknowledges that it will be a very stretching task to meet the 92.1% first class quality target as set out under Consignia's licence from Postcomm.

"We are looking at various ways of further increasing our efficiency and will be implementing these measures over the next 12 months."

According to postwatch nearly 86% of CH and over 87% of LL postcodes first class mail was delivered on time during the period April to November 2001.

Meanwhile the statistics for second class mail showed that over 97% of CH and over 96% of LL postcodes were delivered on time during the same period.