COMMUNICATIONS regulator Ofcom launched an investigation on Monday into Royal Mail’s failure to meet its delivery targets for the last year.

Long-standing targets set by the watchdog expect Royal Mail to deliver 90 per cent of first-class post the next day and 95 per cent of second-class within three days, but in the year to March the company managed just 75.7 per cent and 90.2 per cent respectively.

Ofcom enforcement director Ian Strawhorne said: “We share the deep frustrations of customers who have missed important letters because of Royal Mail’s consistent failure to improve its service over the years.

“We will continue to hold it to account for its unacceptable performance to date.”

A Royal Mail spokesman insisted: “Improving quality of service is a top priority and we are delivering a major programme of change through the rollout of our new delivery model which underpins our Improvement Plan, backed by £500 million of investment over five years.

“Any financial penalty would reduce funding that could otherwise be used to support service improvements for customers. 

“We will engage fully with Ofcom throughout their investigation.”