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WE are all familiar with the red Royal Mail postboxes.
But they may look a bit different in future – bigger – as the rollout of new parcel postboxes across the country continues.
A total of 36 new parcel postboxes have been unveiled in the South West, including the postcodes EX, PL, TQ and TR, with Royal Mail also converting around 1,400 existing meter boxes to accept parcels posted in the same way letters are today.
The postboxes include a wider aperture and secure design and are set to be rolled out after a successful trial of the boxes in 2018.
However, there are currently none in the Taunton area – with Wellington being the nearest.
There are also none in Chard, Ilminster or Yeovil.
But there are parcel postboxes in Shepton Mallet, Weston super Mare and Bridgwater, among others.
Mark Street, head of campaigns at Royal Mail, said: “The introduction of parcel postboxes in the South West 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.”
This is the first time parcel postboxes have been widely introduced in the UK, and the launch represents the first major change of use for the postbox since it was introduced 160 years ago.
The launch of parcel postboxes is also one of the biggest innovations in parcels since the launch of Parcel Post in 1883.
The change means that small businesses and marketplace sellers can post pre-paid parcels through securely designed parcel postboxes, in the same way that they currently post a letter.
Customers will also be able to post some return parcels at any time, seven days a week.
The full list of parcel postboxes in Somerset is:
Shepton Mallet Meter box, Shepton Mallet, BA4
Westfield Trading Estate, Radstock, BA3
High Street, Bridgwater, TA6
Sedgemount Business Park, Bridgwater, TA6
Wylds Road, Bridgwater, TA6
Meter box, Bath, BA1
Tonedale Business Park, Wellington, TA21
Boulevard business box, Weston super Mare, BS23
Old Mixon Industrial Estate, Weston super Mare, BS24
