Royal Mail to improve access to postboxes
Royal Mail is reaffirming its commitment to maintain its provision of postboxes across the UK under the universal service. Royal Mail will also boost public access to postboxes in those areas currently underserved with the addition of 2,000 new postboxes. These will be targeted at rural areas, with a particular focus on Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as to areas of new development that are currently not served by a postbox. Some will be added in high footfall areas such as train stations and shopping centres.
The commitment comes despite declining letter volumes leading to a significant fall in the number of items being posted in postboxes. This leaves many postboxes no longer covering their costs. Rather than decommission uneconomic postboxes, while staying within the regulated density requirement, Royal Mail will ensure their viability by improving the efficiency of its collections arrangements.
The company has discussed its plans with Citizen’s Advice and Consumer Council Northern Ireland and has also notified the regulator Ofcom.
Collection on delivery
Over the next few months we will move between 45,000-50,000 of our 115,3001 postboxes to an earlier collection time, with the mail picked up by the postman or woman as part of their delivery round. No postboxes will be removed as a result of this initiative. Changing our final collection times to reflect user needs and volumes will unlock the opportunity for efficiency savings. The Access Time Specification (ATS) for postboxes has not been reviewed since 1996, and since the 2005 high point in volumes, they have reduced by 33 per cent. The majority of postboxes will retain a 4pm or later final collection as they have now. We will ensure that there is a late posting box within half a mile of each postbox that moves to earlier collections. There will be clear sign-posting for customers on the relevant postboxes indicating where their nearest late posting box is.
Last year, Ofcom’s User Needs Review found that postal users are positive about the idea of moving collections, particularly from low volume boxes, to link with delivery. 91 per cent of users did not choose their box based on collection time. Users understand this approach is more efficient and fitted with their desire for a more efficient postal service.
Collection on delivery means the mail collection will be carried out by the local postman or woman on their delivery route. This will typically be between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in urban and suburban areas. The indicator tab on the post box will show if the collection has been made.
Enhanced rural service
The majority of postboxes affected will be in urban and suburban areas. Around 12,000 postboxes in rural areas are already emptied through collection on delivery. Many of the 2,000 additional boxes will be targeted at rural areas. In addition, we will ensure all customers in isolated locations will be able to hand stamped letter items for posting directly to a postman or woman when they call to make their delivery.
Postbox density
The changes announced by Royal Mail build on new safeguards for postal services in rural communities introduced last year by Ofcom. This requires that 98 per cent of all households across the UK should be within half a mile of a postbox. Royal Mail already complies with these criteria. With the addition of around 2,000 new postboxes, we will be able to improve upon the current compliance level of 98.32% of all delivery points less than half a mile from a postbox.
The UK already has the highest geographic densities of post-boxes in Europe of those countries that report the data. The number of postboxes in the UK has remained stable over the past decade.
