A Royal Mail spokesman confirmed support for the industrial action was strong in Dundee, but said this was not the case elsewhere in the DD postcode area.

He said, “In the Brechin, Forfar and Kirriemuir areas, we’re seeing the majority of people coming into work as normal.

In Montrose, it was reported there was a 96% turn-out for work and only one rural delivery was affected.

The spokesman said he believed this was reflected throughout the Angus burghs.

“It is similar to the last strike in 2007 where the action was strongly supported in urban areas, whereas in the rural areas people tended to come to work.”

Striking workers from the Communication Workers Union claimed 100% support of the action by collection and delivery staff across all three of the Dundee delivery offices.

Around 30 pickets stood outside the Dundee East sorting office at 6.15am, although this number had halved by mid morning.

Staff at the Dundee West sorting office also picketed early on, although by 9am only picket signs remained outside the main entrance in Baird Avenue.

One of those striking at Dundee East, who wished to remain anonymous, said the action had the overwhelming backing of local staff.

He said, “A 100% walk out in the whole of Dundee and Perth quite clearly shows that people are not happy at the way things are going.

“At this point we are looking at longer deliveries with less time so it’s only going to get worse in the future if nothing’s done.”

The man said industrial action was a “last resort” for the postal workers.

He said, “We sympathise with the public for the disruption it’s causing, but they have to look at the bigger picture. Services are bad just now — if Royal Mail keep going the way they are going, they’re going to get worse and this is what we’re trying to protect.”

The Royal Mail spokesman said that those working today would “do what they could” to minimise disruption.

He continued, “In the areas where people have turned out for work, they are going out on delivery as they normally would. Yesterday, we managed to get mail through the system out to the delivery offices.

“There is disruption for the mail getting through for them to deliver, but they’re doing their best to provide a service.”

In Dundee, management and volunteers were providing a limited service in the city, focusing on Special Deliveries and collections from post office branches. The spokesman advised those looking to post items today to take them into their local post offices.

He said, “We are focused on our contingency plans to process and deliver as much mail as we can.

“We’ll collect the mail and get it into the system. This is to keep the mail moving to the best of our abilities until the people are back at work tomorrow. We are trying to keep the caller’s offices open too so people can go and collect parcels and mail that is there for them.”

Picket lines formed at many delivery and collection centres across Scotland today following the 24-hour walk-out yesterday by 42,000 UK mail centre staff and network drivers.

A fresh wave of one-day strikes in the dispute has been organised for Thursday and Saturday next week.

The CWU said it hoped this fresh action — described by Royal Mail bosses as “reckless and unjustified” — could be averted.

Jim McKechnie, branch secretary of the Glasgow and district branch, said mail centre staff planned to walk out from 4am next Thursday. Delivery workers are scheduled to strike from 9pm on the Friday.

Royal Mail’s managing director Mark Higson said the call for fresh action was “appalling but not surprising”.

Mr Higson said, “Any pretence from the CWU that they care about customers or about the future of the postal service is now shown to be totally dishonest.

“The CWU leadership has failed to honour and deliver the agreement we both negotiated on Tuesday night that would have averted this week’s strikes and ensured no further strikes until the end of the year.

The strikes have so far delayed 30 million letters, the Royal Mail said today.