Some peope have been suprised to see their post delivered by white vans instead of the classic red ones we've known since about 1874. This comes after Royal Mail acquired 800 white vans in the lead-up to Christmas 2024, The Telegraph reported. The postal service insists that the red van is not set to disappear with over 40,000 red vehicles still in operation and it added that the new white additions will be repainted.

Residents have been spotting the white vans, and many have been quick to react to having their post delivered by these new vehicles instead of the usual red. Simon Howell, 63, told The Telegraph about his encounter with the local postman after seeing the white van: "I stopped him in the street because I saw him get out of this brand new vehicle.

"I said, ‘my goodness me, what are you in?’ And he said, ‘what do you think?’

"And I said, ‘well, to be honest, I’m not very impressed. I cannot believe that the Post Office would have chosen the white van look. It’s not very distinguished’.

"He said, ‘I’m pleased you told me this because, frankly, I’m not very happy either’."

Mr Howell even called on the King to step in.

He said: "I’m not impressed, and I have to say that I didn’t think that the CR – Charles Rex – looked very good on the side. Hence my view is Charles, our dear King, needs to do something about it."

On Reddit user said about the change: "They're [the white vans] cheaper, easier to sell on, and easier to rebrand when the inevitable happens."

Another person wrote: "The classic red vans are being phased out for favour of the cheap and nasty white vans."

Canon Dr Francis Young also told The Telegraph: "The vans look like Royal Mail vans that someone just forgot to paint.

"A Royal Mail van that is any colour other than red seems like a bizarre choice. [It is] one of the most recognised brands in the world.

"After all, there is a historical reason why the colour red was chosen for postboxes in the 19th century, as the colour of royal livery."

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Our red vans are iconic and a key part of our brand. Nearly all of our 40,000 delivery vehicles are red, and that is not changing.

"Before the busy Christmas period, several vans, which were white, became available to purchase. These were additions, not replacements, and make up just over two per cent of our existing fleet.

"We have started to repaint them red."