New parcel postboxes mean you can send a package without visiting the Post Office

Ever needed to return an online purchase, but not had the time to make it to the Post Office to send it back?

Well the days of parcels piling up at home are now over, as Royal Mail unveils hundreds of new parcel postboxes across the country.

After a successful trial in 2018, which saw one such box installed on Northumberland Street, among other locations, around 1,400 new post boxes, which allow parcels to be sent just like letters, have been introduced.

More than 50 have been installed in the NE, DH and SR postcode areas, covering Durham, Tyneside, Sunderland and Northumberland.

Mail bosses believe the new boxes will benefit small businesses and online sellers, who will be able to pay for postage online and send as many parcels as they want without having to make the trip to the post office.

You’ll also be able to send back anything in a pre-paid package – which means returning items from online shopping will become much easier.

Mark Street, Head of Campaigns at Royal Mail said: “The introduction of the first parcel postboxes in the North East of England means that customers can now send parcels with pre-paid postage and their returns in the same way that they do letters.

“The new parcel postboxes provide added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours.”

You can buy pre-paid stamps for parcels at https://parcel.royalmail.com/

Here is a list of the North East locations of the new parcel postboxes: