Futuristic postboxes powered by solar power are being tried out by Royal Mail as it adapts to the boom in online buying and selling on sites such as Vinted and eBay.The boxes have extra large slots to take a parcel and are being touted as the biggest change in post box technology for 175 years.Royal Mail said if the pillar boxes proved successful, thousands more could be adapted to the new design.The company said five of the new boxes were being tried out – one in Cambridgeshire, and four in Hertfordshire.They have been retrofitted with solar panels, to power a camera to scan a barcode on the parcel, which opens a separate chute for the package to be dropped in.Letters can still be posted in the usual way and an app can provide proof of posting.Royal Mail said the boxes, based in Fowlmere, Letchworth, Hertford and Ware, would help it respond to the boom in online marketplaces.Pillar boxes were first introduced in Britain in 1853, but started out coloured green, only being painted red from 1874.There are 115,000 in the UK.Many are are able to accept small parcels already and Royal Mail hopes they could be adapted to the new model.Royal Mail’s chief executive, Emma Gilthorpe, described the upgrade as an “historic change to our postboxes”.”In an era where letter volumes continue to decline and parcels are booming, we are giving our iconic postboxes a new lease of life on street corners across the nation.”Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
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