Letter Boxes - A Postman's campaign

10.25.42am GMT Tue 20th Jan 2009

David Campbell, a postman at the Heaton delivery office, Newcastle Upon Tyne, has launched a petition against low letter boxes.

There is no law governing the height of letter boxes although there is a voluntary European Standard (EN 13724) which recommends that letter boxes should be between 70cm and 1.7m from the ground. Many new developments do not conform to that standard.

Royal Mail safety experts advise postmen and women to bend their knees when reaching down and to wear their pouch bags bandolier-style to minimise problems with low letter boxes. Perhaps Campaigns Dept and ALDC should offer similar advice to LibDem deliverers.

Regular Focus deliverers will sympathise with David Campbell's petition (Conference "Glee Club" attendees will know that the Liberator Song Book contains a ditty on the subject). To sign the online petition go to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Letterbox.