Royal Mail is rolling out over 3,000 new-style pillar boxes across the UK, replacing traditional red post boxes in the most significant redesign in 175 years. The updated boxes feature solar panels and built-in parcel scanners, allowing customers to send packages up to shoebox size without visiting a Post Office.
The modernised post boxes retain their red colour but have a futuristic look, inspired by Victorian-era designs. However, the solar panels leave no room for the traditional knitted post box toppers that often adorn the classic boxes for special occasions, especially Christmas.
Residents in some historic areas have expressed dismay. In Plymouth's Barbican, a shop owner said, 'The Barbican is a historic area, it should remain that as much as possible.' Another local described the change as 'really sad'. Elsewhere, people have called the new boxes 'very useful' and 'ideal'.
Royal Mail tested the boxes in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire in April before introducing them across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with urban areas receiving them first. Jack Clarkson, managing director at Royal Mail, said, 'We are all sending and returning more parcels than ever before.'
Not all traditional post boxes will be replaced; some older-style boxes will remain in smaller locations. The new design includes a drop-down drawer for parcels, opened via a barcode scanned through the Royal Mail app, and a dedicated slot for letters.
