THE Royal Mail is delivering a better service after beating performance targets for its first class post in Bury.

Latest figures show that the level of first-class mail arriving the next working day to homes and businesses within the BL postcode area is on the increase.

Postwatch Northern England say that the rate rose in April, May and June to 95.2 per cent, above the local target figure of 91.5 per cent.

Previous BL performance statistics for 2004-05 showed that the percentage of first class mail being delivered the following day was 92.3 per cent compared to the minimum national standard of 92.5 per cent.

The up-to-date figures show that the BL postcode, incorporating Bury and Bolton, was the fifth best performing area out of a 30-strong league table published by the watchdog for postal services.

In the north as a whole, first class post performance improved in 27 out of the 30 postcode areas.

Postwatch Northern England chairman Judith Donovan said: "These figures show that Royal Mail is making progress in driving up performance standards for first class post.

"This is needed. With the UK postal market opening up to competition from January 2006, customers will start looking elsewhere if the Royal Mail fails to provide a good service.

"Postwatch will continue to press Royal Mail to ensure that the postal service continues to improve across the region and that customers get the service they pay for."