Arbroath becomes one of the first areas in Tayside and Fife to bring in the new system on November 17 as it is rolled out across the country.

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail today said the moves to introduce the single daily delivery formed an integral part of their three-year renewal plan to become financially viable and improve service.

She said the Royal Mail hopes to implement the changes as quickly as possible with most of Tayside and Fife set to follow Arbroath by January and Dundee by March.

First and second deliveries will be amalgamated into a single daily delivery with the aim of customers receiving all their post by lunchtime at the latest.

Royal Mail say there will be little or no change in delivery time for many customers and those who wish to collect their mail early in the day can do so from the delivery office from 8.30am — a new, free service.