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EDINBURGH residents and a local MSP have raised concerns about post boxes being temporarily decommissioned in the south of the city to make way for new digital versions.
Royal Mail has assured Scots that post boxes decommissioned and wrapped up will return shortly as new, enhanced “post boxes of the future”, although no specific timeline was detailed.
These new post boxes will feature a barcode scanner which opens a drop-down drawer to send parcels up to shoebox size and a solar panel to power the scanner and drawer, as well as the traditional letter box.
Royal Mail has allayed fears about wholesale changes to post boxes and said that the “look and feel” of the revamped, digital boxes will be the same.
Edinburgh residents have reported seeing post boxes wrapped up in black plastic with the notice that a new, automated service will soon be installed.
This caught the attention of Daniel Johnson, Labour MSP for Edinburgh Southern, who received confirmation that the decommissioning was part of the digital post box rollout.
Royal Mail said that the process involved each individual box being measured for changes, with the doors removed to be retrofitted at their engineering centre in Gloucecter.
They avoided closing all post boxes in an area, but many had expressed frustrations at the removal of vital amenities in the run-up to Christmas.
Posting to social media, Daniel Johnson MSP said: “Following concerns from constituents about some local post boxes being taken out of service, I have received confirmation from Royal Mail that this is part of their planned rollout of new ‘digital post boxes’.
“I have stressed the importance of clear communication with communities when changes like this are made, particularly when familiar local services are affected.
“I will continue to monitor the rollout and raise any further issues on behalf of constituents.”
The post boxes of the future were announced in August last year (2025) after a successful trial in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
Royal Mail is initially rolling out 3,500, with Edinburgh among the first cities to receive the new boxes.
The post boxes are not yet operational in the capital, but it is thought that it will not take much longer before they will come online.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Our post boxes of the future offer another convenient way for customers in Edinburgh to access Royal Mail’s services, alongside home delivery and collection, our customer service points, Post Office branches, lockers and Royal Mail shop outlets.
“We thank residents for their patience whilst we upgrade some of their local post boxes.
“Our post box team is working hard to ensure that post boxes of the future are operational as quickly as possible.
“We’re pleased to see positive feedback from customers in areas where the post boxes have already been introduced, and we hope that local residents will find them just as useful and convenient.”
These are thought to be the most extensive changes made to post boxes in their 175-year history.
Royal Mail does not require planning permission for changes to its post boxes.
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