ROYAL Mail has been challenged to reveal reasons behind stopping mail deliveries in parts of Castle Point.

Council leader Pam Challis has arranged a meeting with the postal service to find out what action is necessary to reinstate services on a dozen unmade roads in the Benfleet area.

Residents were angered to hear deliveries were being stopped because of health and safety risks to postmen and women delivering down their lanes.

Ms Challis said: “My political colleagues and I, including Rebecca Harris MP, regularly walk these roads and find it difficult to accept they present the dangers being reported.”

Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris has written to Royal Mail’s chief executive Moya Greene requesting she visit the Benfleet area and inspect the roads herself.

An answer to the request is expected later this week.

Ms Harris has regularly walked the affected roads and said: “I do not believe all these roads suddenly pose enough of a danger to warrant a blanket overnight ban.

“After delivering safely to these roads for decades, it is unacceptable to withdraw the mail service to hundreds of people literally overnight without any warning or consultation.”

Royal Mail spokeswoman Heulyn Gwyn Davies said: “The delivery of mail to a particular area of Benfleet remains temporarily suspended.

“We are working closely with locally elected representatives to resolve this issue as soon as possible.”