Councillor complains to Royal Mail over missing city postbox

A missing posbox is causing a commotion in a Perth neighbourhood.

Royal Mail was asked by Perth and Kinross Council to temporarily remove the box from a lamp-post at the corner of Langley Drive and St Mary’s Drive ahead of work to install new street lights.

But the organisation has come under fire for allegedly keeping residents in the dark, and failing to tell them why the box was removed and when it could return.

Last night, the Royal Mail insisted residents had been warned in advance.

A spokeswoman said: “A laminated notice was placed on the postbox at the time.

“The box will be replaced within the next 12 weeks. Customers in the meantime can use postboxes at Hatton Road and Brompton Terrace.”

She added: “Royal Mail is sorry for any inconvenience but we do need to comply with requests from local authorities.”

Lib Dem councillor Pete Barrett complained to Royal Mail after he was alerted by a community councillor.

“Residents are rightly angry about this,” he said. “The Royal Mail should have put up a sign advising people of the locations of the nearest alternative boxes.

“And given this is the busiest time of the year for posting they should have provided extra capacity.”

He added: “The Hatton Road letterbox is stuffed to overflowing and frankly 12 weeks to replace the postbox when the new lamp-posts are being fitted this week is nowhere near good enough.

“It is very poor service by Royal Mail to take the postbox away without a word of explanation or consultation.”

Pete Barrett at the site of the missing postbox.