Evri says it is looking to expand its Llandrindod depot

Rural residents in and surrounding the communities of Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells, Rhayader and Knighton have complained of waiting weeks for packages to be delivered.

There has also been anger at parcels being left miles from the correct addresses, delivered in a damaged state or left undelivered entirely.

The delivery firm says that in some cases it has asked drivers to be retrained while adding that it is looking to expand its Llandrindod depot in order to accommodate a 10 per cent increase in volume of deliveries since last year.

The delivery firm says that in some cases it has asked drivers to be retrained, sacked others, while adding that it is looking to expand its Llandrindod depot. (Image: Supplied)

This month the County Times reported on issues at Evri’s Llandrindod depot which was described as a dumping ground, with parcels “treated like rubbish”, local MP David Chadwick wrote a letter to the company’s chief executive, Martijn de Lange, raising concerns.

Evri apologised for the poor experiences Radnorshire residents were enduring and said it is working hard to ensure a high level of delivery service for all customers.

In a letter to Mr de Lange, Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP Mr Chadwick said: “I have heard numerous reports from across my constituency of parcels going missing, arriving damaged or being left in inappropriate locations.

“Images and video showing parcels left exposed and without proper handling have only deepened these concerns.
“These failures are causing real frustration for families and businesses at a time of year when reliable deliveries are essential. Many residents are no longer confident that their parcels will arrive safely.

“This is especially troubling in a rural area where alternatives are limited and where people depend on your service for the delivery of essential goods.

“Given the scale of concern, I would welcome clarity on how Evri intends to address the issues at the Llandrindod Wells depot as a matter of urgency and what immediate improvements are being made to ensure parcels are handled securely and responsibly.

“People across my constituency need reassurance that these problems will not continue through the busiest period of the year.”

An Evri spokesperson said it was experiencing “unprecedented” parcel volumes.

“Black Friday and Christmas is our peak period, and we prepare months in advance for this,” said Evri.

“This year we have invested £30 million by bringing in additional resources, including people, vehicles and opening additional sites. However, we have seen a 10 per cent increase on volume since last year.

“These additional volumes, plus some vehicle problems for our drivers, have led to a small backlog in your area, but our operation is working seven days a week to get parcels to people's doors, and we will catch up this week.

Evri has apologised for the poor experiences Radnorshire residents were enduring and said it is working hard to ensure a high level of delivery service for all customers. (Image: PA)

“I am very sorry to hear that parcels have been delivered to incorrect locations and not to consumers’ home(s).

“We have been using contractors in some areas where we do not have permanent couriers, and where we have seen complaints about parcels being misdelivered or delivered without adequate photographic proof, we have asked for these drivers to be retrained.

“Where these problems persisted or we have evidence of theft, we have removed drivers.”

The company added: “We are also currently looking to expand into another, larger, delivery unit in the area to allow us to accommodate more volume and process consumer's parcels more efficiently.
“Please extend my apologies to your constituents and be assured that our operations teams are working hard to ensure a high level of delivery service for all our customers.”

Mr Chadwick urged any constituents who want to raise an issue with Evri to contact him via email at david.chadwick.mp@parliament.uk.