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Thousands of the UK’s iconic red post boxes are being replaced with over 3,000 new-style pillar boxes in a nationwide rollout. Currently, the Royal Mail is modernising its traditional post boxes in the most significant redesign in 175 years to keep pace with changing times.
The futuristic designs have been dubbed “post-boxes for the future”, with one resident from a British seaside town likening them to “something out of space”. Across the country, the classic red post boxes are being swapped for a more contemporary design, with some areas already seeing the change and more transformations expected just in time for Christmas. However, this has sparked questions among residents in areas where the change has already taken place, particularly, “where is the knitted post-box topper going to go?”.
The revamped pillar boxes will feature solar panels on top, leaving no room for the traditional woolly post box toppers that often adorn the old-style letter boxes during special occasions, seasonal events, and notably at Christmas.
Nonetheless, the solar panel is crucial as it powers the new post-box’s built-in parcel scanner. This allows users to scan and send off their larger packages without the need to visit a Post Office.
Post boxes across the UK are set to be available for use at any time, adapting to evolving shopping habits and online returns. However, in some historic areas, locals have dubbed the decision to replace one classic red post box as “madness”.
In Plymouth’s historic Barbican area in Devon, the traditional letter box is set to undergo a modern transformation. The old-fashioned posting box has been shrouded in black plastic film, bearing a sign that reads “out of service, automated system coming soon”.
One shop owner said: “Plymouth’s Barbican is a historic area, it should remain that as much as possible,” reported Plymouth Live.
One Plymouth woman described it as “really sad” to see the traditional design wrapped up, while elsewhere across Britain people have praised the modernised letterboxes as “very useful” and “ideal”.
The revamped versions will retain their iconic red colour, albeit with a more futuristic look – and the redesigned post-boxes allow customers to conveniently post packages up to shoebox size. Royal Mail’s new design has been inspired by an earlier Victorian-era style, incorporating present-day features.
Royal Mail explained that customers can now scan a barcode through their app to open a drop-down drawer, specially created for parcels too large to fit through the conventional slot. There’s a dedicated slot for letters and cards – whilst the solar panel supplies power to the scanner and parcel drawer.
The post-boxes were trialled in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire during April and have since been rolled out across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with urban areas being the first to receive these modernised letterboxes.
Jack Clarkson, managing director of out of home and commercial excellence at Royal Mail, stated: “We are all sending and returning more parcels than ever before. This trend will only continue as online shopping shows no signs of slowing, particularly with the boom of second-hand marketplaces.
“There are 115,000 post-boxes in the UK located within half a mile of 98% of addresses, making them by far the most convenient network of parcel drop-off points in the UK.
“Our message is clear, if you have a Royal Mail label on your parcel, and it fits, put it in a postbox and we’ll do the rest.”
However, not every traditional post box will be upgraded. Some older-style letterboxes are expected to remain in smaller locations for the foreseeable future.
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