BOSSES at major York banks have joined the protests from business chiefs against changes to postal deliveries in the city, saying they fear their own services could be affected.

Their warning comes as the Evening Press today launches its Stand and Deliver campaign, calling for Royal Mail to restore two deliveries a day.

HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Yorkshire Bank are echoing the rising clamour of business complaints in the city - that Royal Mail's cost-cutting scheme, reducing two deliveries to one, is putting pressure on their staff.

They fear that late deliveries - sometimes by 1pm - threaten to impact on customer service.

All are backing a call for a face-to-face meeting between the business community and Royal Mail officials at York's Mansion House on February 13.

Invitations from the meeting organisers have been sent to Adam Crozier, the chief executive of Royal Mail, as well as its chairman, Alan Leighton, so that they can listen to the concerns.

Mark Vines, manager of HSBC in York, said deliveries were arriving as late as 1pm. "We have half the time to process everything and I suspect some issues are in danger of being carried over to the next day. It means changing our working patterns."

Geoff Hall, a manager at Lloyds TSB, said: "We are all in the same boat".

Jeremy Bowers, business manager for Yorkshire Bank, said: "There's no doubt that the delivery service has deteriorated.".

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We are studying the effect."

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, February 05, 2004