A mail delivery office in Kent is set to trial new opening hours starting this week.

Royal Mail is aiming to extend the hours of around 100 delivery offices that have the highest parcels volume to being open seven days a week.

The network's 1,400 delivery offices are currently open six days a week, but the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells office will be trialling Sunday opening hours.

The delivery office in Vale Rise, Tonbridge will be open between 12pm and 4pm from this Sunday.

The initiative is designed to make it easier for online shoppers that aren't at home during the day to get their parcels.

It is part of an on-going programme set up by Royal Mail in an aim to be more customer responsive and provide more accessible options for people to receive parcels.

“We are continuing to be more customer responsive and provide more options for people to receive items they have ordered online" - Operations Director, Tony Fox

Almost half of Royal Mail’s UK network of offices already opens later on a Wednesday evening to enable people to collect items that could not be delivered.

In June Parcelforce Worldwide, also launched a Sunday delivery service for online shoppers through participating e-retailers.

Tony Fox, operations director, said: “We are continuing to be more customer responsive and provide more options for people to receive items they have ordered online.

“I am delighted to pilot Sunday afternoon opening at around 100 of our delivery offices across the UK with the highest parcel volumes, including Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells.”

Last month, Royal Mail announced it is to make its Local Collect ‘click and collect’ service with Post Offices available to its 20,000 contract customers enabling more of the UK's businesses to offer shoppers the option of collection from any Post Office branch.

Customers not at home when delivery is attempted can also arrange a free redelivery to their home or a neighbour via www.royalmail.com/redelivery