ROYAL Mail has been branded “ludicrous” after it emerged delivery staff from one of its companies were dropping packages on unmade roads from where posties have been banned.

The postal service stopped delivering letters to a dozen unmade roads in Benfleet last month because of health and safety concerns.

However, yesterday Gerry Bullock, 75, of Wensley Road, Benfleet, had a package delivered to his door by a postman from Parcelforce Worldwide, a subsidiary of the Royal Mail.

A spokesman for the postal service later confirmed Parcelforce vans are still allowed to drive along the streets, yet standard Royal Mail delivery vehicles are not.

Castle Point Boyce ward councillor Wendy Goodwin said: “If Parcelforce can deliver and refuse can be picked up, it’s quite ludicrous to say there is a problem.”

Mr Bullock, who photographer the Parcelforce van, also claimed he had seen Royal Mail vans using unmade roads as shortcuts between routes.

Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris has asked Postal Services Minister Ed Davey to investigate.

She said: “He’s going to look into it to see if the removal of services complies with the Postal Services Act.”