A postal worker with the mapping device

Residents in Havering and Brentwood may have started seeing their postmen and women appearing to take pictures outside their homes and businesses.

But the posties, who started the work on Monday, won’t actually be taking photos but gathering data for a new Royal Mail initiative to map locations.

Due to a decline in postal volumes, the company is trying to make money in other ways, and is piloting the new mapping system in its Anglian region which includes Romford and Brentwood postcodes.

Posties are mapping the GPS longitude, latitude and altitude coordinates of every property in the refion using a satellite receiver.

The gathered data will eventually be used to help give more accurate information for SatNavs and Smartphone apps.

The company is writing to every home in the area to explain that the scheme does not involve the collection of any personal data from residents.

Keith Jones, from the Royal Mail, said: “For individuals and companies, many everyday activities involve using information which is based on the location of an address.

“The emergency services, satellite navigation systems used by motorists and Smartphone applications use this information.

“Mapping the coordinates which are accurate to the front door of addresses across the UK will help improve the accuracy of this information.”

For more information about the scheme visit: www.royalmail.com/pinpoint.