Evri has experienced delivery disruptions following the unexpected collapse of a partner courier company. The firm has attributed delays in a UK city to the abrupt failure of its collaborator, Pedal and Post.

Pedal and Post has announced it is "ceasing trading without notice". Evri had utilised the service for deliveries within Oxford's Clean Air Zone, leaving residents in the city now facing interruptions and hold-ups.

Carol Leonard, a Grandpont, Oxford resident, reported that multiple parcels - ordered in late January - had failed to arrive. The packages contained specialist food for her cat along with litter, and despite being dispatched for delivery, they remained stuck at the depot.

The items were ultimately delivered on February 10 - a fortnight after her orders were placed.

An Evri spokesperson commented: "We successfully deliver more than 900 million parcels each year, with industry-leading on-time delivery rates.

"We were disappointed to learn that our e-cargo bike delivery partner in Oxford ceased trading without notice, which caused some temporary disruption for a small number of customers in the local area.

"We have quickly re-organised deliveries in the area, and our local team are working hard to resume normal service.

"We have spoken to Carol to apologise for her experience and are pleased to confirm her parcel has been delivered this afternoon."

Pedal and Post revealed online that the decision came after losing a significant client earlier this year. Both its Oxford and London operations have now shut down.

Chief Executive Christopher Benton has confirmed that approximately 60 staff members – comprising both self-employed contractors and employees – have lost their jobs following the firm's collapse.

"Trying to be an ethical employer in a primarily self-employed industry is difficult," Benton told Zag Daily. "Lower operating costs of cargo bikes really helped enable this to be able to pay better.

"Our closure isn't a reflection on cargo bike use or logistics. With simple, small businesses that are reliant on five to six major clients, it happens sometimes that you lose one and can't sustain moving forward."

Mr Benton refused to identify the client in question, noting they had "met their contractual terms". He further explained that financial information remained under wraps for now, as there was still "a lot to go through with liquidators".