Sir, – With reference to Helen Kehoe’s letter (July 23rd), it is not true that An Post is removing “historic” post boxes by stealth.
We have almost 5,000 post boxes nationwide and we are proud of the number of “old style” post boxes still in use throughout the country, some dating back to the 1800s.
Post boxes are constantly relocated and replaced in order to cater for changing posting patterns; to match trends in consumer behaviour and in some cases to counteract repeated vandalism. Equally, they are often moved to locations considered safer for customers in terms of access, parking etc.
Many older post boxes do pose a problem in that they can be difficult and costly to maintain. If the post box locking mechanism or the box itself is damaged, they can, despite our best efforts, sometimes prove impossible to replace. Equally, if we are required to move an old post box, due to roadworks for example, we often find that we cannot re-install the box due to decades of wear and tear.
We know that residents do not always like to lose a nearby postbox, but we have to ensure that boxes are located in positions which best suit the majority of customers and their posting patterns. – Yours, etc,