Nationally Royal Mail has decided to bring forward the last collection at around 19,000 post boxes in towns and villages by as much as seven hours.

David Ruffley today expressed his outrage at what is happening in Suffolk.

David said:

'Replying to a letter or a bill by 'return of post' has been made impossible for many people in Suffolk, who do not receive their daily delivery until hours after their local post box has been collected.

'Postcomm, the postal regulator, has announced that it has launched a major investigation into collection and delivery times, which in my view is long overdue.

'I want to ensure that people in Suffolk retain a first class postal service and I have taken the matter up with the Chief Executive of Royal Mail, Mr Adam Crozier, and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling MP.

'This is quite frankly a scandalous move by Royal Mail to scrap first class deliveries for rural communities, such as ours here in Suffolk, by stealth.

'Local people rely on a first class postal service and some places such as Spexhall and Brettenham in Suffolk have seen their last collection changed by as much as nine hours on Saturdays and six hours during the week respectively. Postwatch tell me that the last collection on a Saturday in Spexhall is now 6.30am.

'Frankly I am concerned that what is happening in Spexhall may spread to the villages surrounding Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market. This is scrapping first class deliveries by stealth.

'People are paying for a first class service and getting a second rate sham, it simply is not good enough.

'These changes have not just hit smaller villages, major centres such as Ipswich have also been affected.

'The people of Suffolk and rural communities across the Country deserve better.'