'Royal Mail need to reconsider the decision to remove our post box'
A petition has been started by Plymouth's Moor View MP Fred Thomas
Last updated 4th Aug 2025
A petition has been started to reinstate a post box in St Budeaux following Royal Mail’s decision to remove it.
Fred Thomas, MP for Plymouth Moor View, said: “I really feel that Royal Mail are making a mistake with this decision.
"It is misguided and fails to take into account the geography and topography of the area – it feels like a decision taken by someone in head office who has never actually been to St Budeaux.
"The post box at the junction of Mollison Road and Roman Way was removed after the land owner requested it be moved off their land, but rather than move it to the nearby pavement Royal Mail have removed it entirely.
"This prompted angry and concerned residents to contact Mr Thomas to see if there was anything that he could do to reverse the decision."
Sharing these resident’s concerns with Royal Mail, Mr Thomas asked Royal Mail to reconsider their decision. However, they have twice refused, citing the fact that there are two other post boxes within half a mile of Mollison Road – Royal Mail is required to ensure 98% of homes are within half a mile of a post box as a minimum.
Many of the residents who had contacted Mr Thomas were elderly and had mobility issues and stated that they simply can’t manage the walk to the alternative post boxes because the direct routes to them involve steep hills or flights of steps.
Mr Thomas added: "I have been contacted by dozens of residents who are really concerned at losing this post box, particularly elderly residents who simply can’t manage the walk to the next nearest ones – Royal Mail need to reconsider this decision.
“I would encourage anyone to sign the petition and really show the strength of feeling that people have about this decision. Even if it doesn’t affect you, just think about the impact that removals of post boxes may have on elderly, disabled and vulnerable people across the city.”
The petition can be found here
What has Royal Mail said?
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “The postbox was removed at the request of the landowner. When deciding whether to install a replacement, we consider a range of factors, including the number of existing postboxes within half a mile, the availability of suitable public land, and the operational needs of our local delivery team. After reviewing these considerations, we made the decision not to replace the postbox.”
The spokesperson added that 'if a postbox is located on private land, like this one was, when asked to remove it we are obligated to do so'. They explained: "We understand this may be disappointing for some residents, however, there are two postboxes close to Roman Way. There are located on Victoria Road which is approximately 200m away, and on Peters Park Lane which is approximately 300m away. Our regulator, Ofcom, requires Royal Mail to ensure that 98 per cent of all households across the UK should be within half a mile of a postbox, which following the removal of this postbox the homes continue to be. This half a mile is measured as the crow flies, as dictated by Ofcom."