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Post Hoc — Analysing UK OSM Postbox Data

OpenStreetMap records the location of postboxes using the amenity=post_box tag. The Post Hoc tool provides statistics, reports and maps to compare the data in OpenStreetMap with data from Royal Mail. The Royal Mail Post Box data comes an FOI request. For further information, please see the Technical Details page.

Summary Statistics

Source Boxes Percent Updated
Royal Mail list 115485   2013‑11‑11
OSM 86537 74.9% 2024‑03‑21
OSM (matched refs) 72772 63.0% 2024‑03‑21

View history graphs.

Progress Maps and Comparison Reports

OSM Post Box Progress
View the progress of mapping all post boxes by postal area and then district. At district level a map shows a comparison between official location data from Royal Mail and current OSM data. Discrepencies are highlighted for ground surveys. Note that the official locations are © Royal Mail, and we do not have permission to use them in OSM.
OSM Reference Issues
Results of various checks on the values in 'ref' fields of post box nodes on OpenStreetMap.
OSM Collection Times Issues
Postboxes with possible errors in the collection_times key.
OSM Royal Cypher Issues
Postboxes with possible errors in the royal_cypher key.
OSM Box Type Report
Report on usage of tags to describe box types.
OSM Operator Report
Report on usage of tags to describe the operator of the box.
OSM Tag Keys Report
List of all keys used on post box nodes, ordered by number of occurrences.
OSM Tag Lists
Various reports listing postboxes with specific tags defined:

Post Box League Tables

Top postal districts and users by updates to post box nodes in last 7 days.

# District Updates
1. NW1 21
2. E13 20
3. PA34 12
4. E16 11
5. TR7 9
6. DN36 8
7. BA3 8
# Username Updates %Ref'd
1. eastender 46 100%
2. RaccoonFederation 46 48%
3. john paul jones & gringo 38 97%
4. dunkaist 37 100%
5. fiadh eile 13 100%
6. AntV 10 100%
7. robbieonsea 10 100%

Top postal districts and users by updates to post box nodes in last 28 days.

# District Updates
1. E15 31
2. E16 26
3. NW1 25
4. E9 21
5. E13 20
6. SN4 16
7. PL25 16
8. TR9 16
9. TR7 15
10. E4 14
11. E5 13
12. FK5 12
13. PA34 12
14. E7 12
# Username Updates %Ref'd
1. RaccoonFederation 171 32%
2. eastender 148 100%
3. john paul jones & gringo 105 98%
4. Yorvik Prestigitator 59 66%
5. dunkaist 58 100%
6. AntV 40 100%
7. PerthPerthshire 39 54%
8. Nathan_A_RF 37 95%
9. Falsernet 36 89%
10. BarryMyles 34 100%
11. Robert Whittaker 28 89%
12. fitzsimons 22 95%
13. ENHD 22 95%
14. Hobgoblin 17 100%

Copyright Warning: There is no permission from Royal Mail to use the box locations and reference numbers in their data in OpenStreetMap. So the data may not be used directly. However, you may find the comparisons helpful in suggesting places you would like to survey in the hope of finding missing post boxes to add.

Data derived from OpenStreetMap data, © OpenStreetMap Contributors, licensed under Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL). XAPI courtesy of Overpass API.