Ex-postie MP bids to stamp out low letterboxes

Front door letterboxes near the ground cause physical strain and put posties at risk of dog bites, says Lee Barron

A Labour MP who used to be a postal worker is co-sponsoring a parliamentary bill to outlaw low-level letterboxes on front doors and elsewhere.

Lee Barron, who represents Corby and East Northamptonshire, said putting the slots close to the ground increases physical strain suffered by postal workers.

It also puts them at greater risk of dog bites.

The issue has been the subject of a campaign for more than 60 years.

Although many letterboxes are at waist height, a good number are still at the bottom of the door.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) started a campaign to raise the levels of letterboxes way back in 1958.

The British Standards Agency agreed that they should not be installed close to the ground, but this was never enshrined into building standards law.

Barron, who was elected to the Northamptonshire seat last year, said: "As a former postal worker and as someone who represented Corby and East Northamptonshire postal workers for over a decade, I'm co-sponsoring a 10-minute rule bill that will go before Parliament with an aim for a UK-wide ban on the installation of ground-level letterboxes in all new builds and front door replacements."

He wants to make the installation height dimensions in the relevant British standard mandatory.

Lee Barron MP used to be a postal worker

The standard states that letterboxes must be installed between 70cm (2ft 4in) and 170cm (5ft 7in) from the delivery floor level, except in special cases such as historic buildings.

Mr Barron said: "The reasons why this is so important is due to the cumulative physical strain induced by constant bending right down to floor level while out on delivery and also the increased risk of dog bites through the letterbox when it is at ground level."

The CWU said a delegation from the union had met the current minister of state for housing and planning in March to discuss the issue.

A union spokesperson said: "It was a positive meeting and this conversation is currently ongoing."

The 10-minute rule procedure allows MPs to put the case for a bill to become law in a speech lasting no more than 10 minutes.