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The post box at the Rhos had been a feature of the village for decades, where it was attached to a telegraph pole and people regularly sent their letters.
But this summer residents suddenly noticed it had gone. Several days later, the telegraph pole was also removed after work was done to reroute telephone wires.
After a complaint was made about the missing box, residents were told by Royal Mail the post box located in the Rhos village regrettably would not be replaced.
However, Royal Mail has since said that it was investigating reinstating the box.
The letter writers of the Rhos were told that they would have to use the post box ‘located approximately a mile away’ by Slebech.
More than 30 residents of the Rhos, near Slebech, turned out earlier this month to express their disappointment by the Royal Mail’s decision.
The removal of the post box means they must travel more than one and a half miles onto the busy A40 to Haverfordwest in order to post a letter. Residents say that this is not feasible for elderly members of the community and add that stopping at the post box in Slebech requires an extremely dangerous manoeuvre.
“Royal Mail is quite happy to force villagers to use their cars to post a letter, whereas the previous box was within walking distance of 80 per cent of the villagers,” said the Rhos local Marie Williams.
She added that the manoeuvre required to turn into the layby at Slebech, a sharp U turn, is ‘extremely dangerous.
“I hope the Royal Mail are ready to deal with the consequences when they have blood on their hands because of this mindless decision,” she said.
Resident Richard Gross said the removal of the post box was done ‘without any meaningful consultation with the residents’.
“The reality of the situation is that walking from anywhere in The Rhos to the Slebech post box proposed by the Post Office is not feasible,” he said.
“The post box is situated in a lay-by on the busy A40 trunk road into and out of Pembrokeshire and has no pedestrian access.”
County councillor Di Clements said that it was important that residents have access to basic services such as a post box “Rural villages are increasingly seeing critical services taken away from them,” she said. “It’s important that the needs of a rural population, some of whom are quite elderly, are considered before any decision is made.”
Sam Kurtz MS added “It is frustrating to hear that a well-used post box has been removed seemingly without any public consultation or indeed warning. Especially at a time when we’re fighting to keep letters being sent and for the postal service to remain feasible.”
A spokesperson for Royal Mail said that it was looking at relocating the A40 post box to the Rhos.
“We would reassure residents that we are in the process of investigating moving the post box on the A40 to a location in the Rhos,” they said. “This work is ongoing as we assess suitable sites.”
