The 'universal' postal service is under renewed threat because of a sharp increase in the number of homes to which Royal Mail won't deliver on health and safety grounds, campaigners have warned.

Figures obtained by the Daily Mail reveal that the number of households receiving no post because of problems such as slippery paths or letterboxes that slam shut too hard has gone up twelvefold in four years.

While 22 addresses were blackballed on such 'short-term' health and safety grounds in 2004, two years later that had risen to 167, and by last year there were 262.

Over the same time, the number of homes which get no deliveries because they are so isolated or there is no acceptable road has remained fairly constant.

With Royal Mail now losing money on delivering everyday stamped post, there are fears that exaggerated claims of health and safety risks are being used to justify cutting services in hard-to-reach areas in order to save money.

Earlier this month, more than 30 farms and cottages near Loftus, Cleveland, were told they would no longer have their post delivered because of health and safety concerns over bumpy tracks leading to their homes.

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We already do pay for services we don't receive, the only thing the council do around here is empty the bins, we're in a private road so we sweep it, weed it and maintain it ourselves. We've tried to get the council to adopt it but they won't. mind you at least we don't get them interfering.

Its pathetic the excuses they come up with !
its all a ploy to see off the Royal mail and privatise it.