An independent watchdog is criticising Royal Mail for tardy postal deliveries in Hampshire.

At least 90.5% of first class letters are supposed to arrive by the next day in each postcode area.

But Royal Mail figures from April to June show the target was missed in the Southampton (89.0%), Portsmouth (89.3%), Reading (89.7%) and Salisbury (89.3%) postcode areas.

In Bournemouth, 90.6% of first class letters arrived on time, but that is still below the national target of 92.5%.

Charles Howeson, who chairs Postwatch South and West, slammed the figures. "For the last three years, customers have been paying higher prices for a declining service."

He added that tardy deliveries would be punished by fines. The Royal Mail also missed all 15 of its service targets between April and June, and could be prevented from increasing postal charges.

The Royal Mail says targets were missed because changes are being made to make the business more competitive in the long-term.

Said spokeswoman, Jane Thomas: "It is always disappointing when you miss targets by a couple of percent, particularly when staff and managers have put so much into meeting them."

She said delivery figures in the Southampton postcode area had improved from 89.0% to 92.1% in the last two months and the pattern was similar elsewhere.

"I am glad to say that preliminary figures for July and August do show signs of the improvement we expect," she added.

Mr Howeson said: "Reports of improvements are welcome, but the management has an uphill task to reach all of the service targets by the end of the year."