Hundreds of Royal Mail staff are leaving each week after DM26 reorganised delivery routes, as Daniel Křetínský postal service negotiations continue around the company’s future. The Communication Workers Union says the departures have risen to about 400 postmen and women a week, up from about 330 before the new system was rolled out.
Bryn Dymott, who delivered post in Wootton in Bedfordshire for nine years, left in July because he could not face another “shambolic” Christmas. He said, “People put things in the post for them to be delivered, not for them to be delayed because Royal Mail hasn't got the systems in place and enough people to get them delivered.”
DM26 and Royal Mail routes
DM26 changed how routes are organised so Royal Mail could improve delivery performance. Under the system, second class post can be delivered only every other weekday, while first class mail and parcels are supposed to go out every day. That change has left workers describing heavier workloads and more sorting time, with some saying letters are being left behind while parcels are still prioritised.
One worker in the West Midlands said, “I didn't take any first class mail out on my last shift because I was on a road that's been behind for weeks,” while a postman in the East Midlands said, “We all think this Christmas will be the worst ever, for us and our customers.” The concerns are being raised as parcel volumes rise heading into Christmas.
Bryn Dymott and Wootton
Dymott’s departure shows how the changes are reaching day-to-day work, not just national figures. He had spent nine years delivering in Wootton in Bedfordshire before leaving in July, and he joined other staff in saying the pace of work and the pressure on delivery rounds had made the job harder to sustain.
The asked eight workers in different areas to track their average step counts after the switchover. They said their steps increased by a quarter or even a third, often to around 25,000 steps a day, which points to a route system that is asking more of postal workers while shifting how mail is sorted and delivered.
Royal Mail and the CWU
Royal Mail says the reforms are part of its plan to deliver a more efficient and financially sustainable service, and it says it always works to ensure all mail, both letters and parcels, are delivered on time. The Communication Workers Union says the weekly departures show the opposite effect, with staffing losses now moving faster than before the rollout.
That leaves the dispute with one immediate question: how many of the 400 weekly departures are tied directly to DM26, and how many reflect other reasons for leaving. For staff on the ground, the practical issue is already clear — route changes are altering how much they walk, how much they carry and how much of the day is spent trying to keep up.
