Evri has been urged to investigate why parcels, it says it has delivered, have been found dumped in Hampshire.
The company is facing calls from local residents, and several MPs, including Dame Caroline Dinenage and Caroline Nokes, to address why parcels are being ‘abandoned.’
Residents in towns and cities including Gosport, Winchester, Romsey and Southampton, who were expecting parcels, say they never arrived, leaving them ‘distressed and frustrated’.
Some were later found, but others are still missing, despite Evri marking them as safely delivered.
Caroline Dinenage has since written to the Chief Executive of the delivery company, asking it to address the situation and provide urgent ‘clarification’ on how it intends to safely deliver parcels, following ‘numerous incidents’.
Evri says its priority is to handle every parcel with care Credit: PA
In her letter, she has called on the company to investigate why parcels were dumped, some at the end of driveways and others on the roadside, but were yet still marked as delivered.
The MP has also pressed the company to compensate affected residents, through either locating the missing parcels or replacing them as quickly as possible.
Speaking to ITV Meridian, Dame Caroline condemned the behaviour of some drivers, who had dumped parcels behind bins, or just not delivered them at all.
“I have had so many complaints from local residents”, she said. “We have had so many incidents.
“We know that there are some brilliant drivers that do their job with fantastic professional integrity, but we’ve also had horrible experiences.
“Parcels declared as delivered and then taken away… sometimes left in bins, sometimes dumped in great piles on back lanes, or peoples driveways…
“And sometimes written as delivered and then disappearing, and we don’t know if that person is then keeping the package, this is just terrible.”
Watch: Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, says she is aware of so many ‘horrible experiences’ her residents are facing with Evri.
Evri says it is actively investigating the situation in Gosport, and is working with its delivery partners in the area.
A spokesperson for Evri confirmed they were in touch with Dame Caroline Dinenage, and said: “This is the busiest time of year for parcel deliveries, and demand is higher than ever as volumes double.
“Our priority is to handle every parcel with care, and we apologise to any customers in the area who have experienced issues.
“We’re looking into cases with our delivery partners in the area, where deliveries do not meet the high standard we expect. Anyone who needs help can get in touch with our dedicated customer service team.”
The company added it was on track to deliver 900 million parcels this year, with most being delivered on time.
Some residents in the county have put up signs, urging drivers not to leave parcels on their doorstep Credit: ITV Meridian
Meanwhile, in Romsey, Caroline Nokes says it is not the first time she has had to contact Evri on behalf of her constituents.
The service in the area, particularly in Wellow, she says, needs to improve. Constituents have told her that parcels are going missing, and in some cases being found in ‘great piles’ on the roadside.
“This is the second time I have contacted Evri asking them to improve their service”, she told ITV Meridian. “Particularly in the Wellow area, where there has been a particular problem.
“Across my whole constituency, there are issues with parcels going missing, being abandoned in driveways, on grass verges…. great piles of them in some cases.
“My constituents want to have an assurance that Evri is on top of the problem, and is making sure that their delivery drivers know how important these deliveries are for individuals and for companies.”
Watch: Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, says her constituents deserve better from Evri.
Evri said it is in touch with Caroline Nokes, and a dedicated team are working with her to look into the situation.
An Evri spokesperson said: “Every parcel matters to us, and we’re disappointed when a courier fails to care for a parcel as if it were their own. The vast majority our 30,000 couriers are hardworking members of the local community who take pride in their work and are currently delivering upwards of four million parcels a day.
“We have invested in this area to make significant operational improvements, bringing in new resource and management oversight to address delivery issues, and we’re continuing to closely monitor the situation. We’re sorry to these customers whose experience has fallen below the high standards we expect.
“Our local team are working hard to ensure all parcels are delivered, and anyone who needs help can get in touch with our dedicated customer service team.”
The company added it was committed to helping customers receive their parcels safely.
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