Government already presided over closure of nearly 5000 post offices

The following Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton earlier this year. I have taken much of the "Ministerial speak" out to give the plain facts that close to 5,000 post offices have already closed.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office branches have closed since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [52011]
Barry Gardiner: ..... Under Post Office Ltd.'s urban reinvention programme, 2,475 sub post offices closed....... Outside of the urban reinvention programme, 2,248 post offices closed between April 1997 and December 2005.

Now another 2,500 - 3,000 are under threat!

Consultation published

The DTI have finally published the consultation paper which can be found here:-

http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page36024.html

Post Office Network Consultation

Starting Date: 14-12-06
Closing Date: 08-03-07

Post offices play an important social and economic role in the communities they serve. But with new technology, changing lifestyles and wider choice in how services are accessed, people are visiting post offices less. Post Office Ltd’s losses have risen to almost £4 million a week this year and the network of post offices is unsustainable in its present form.

However, the Government considers it a priority to maintain a national Post Office network with national coverage and is seeking views on its proposals to achieve this. In particular, the consultation seeks view on:

The Government’s proposals to introduce national access criteria for access to Post Office services.

The proposal to include particular criteria to help safeguard access to Post Office services in deprived urban and rural areas.

Proposals for innovative ways of maintaining service to small and remote communities by extending the use of Outreach arrangements.

Suggestions as to how services might be better delivered through the Post Office network.

I would urge anyone interested in this issue to respond to the consultation. THE CLOSING DATE IS 8 MARCH 2007

Sign the Downing Street petition to safeguard you local post office

Sign the Downing Street petition to safeguard you local post office:-

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ponetwork/

Examples of why the public are being driven away from Post Offices

This story about how TV licences will no longer be available from Post Office branches, shows how decisions being taken are effectively driving customers out of the doors of your local post office branch:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4865482.stm

DTI consultation page not working

Is it something about the DTI - that not much seems to work. The following is the link to the consultation on the announcement of proposed post office closures:-

http://www.dti.gov.uk/administration/page13625.html

Unfortunately it doesn't appear to work at the moment!

2,500 Rural Post Office to close

Today the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alistair Darling announced that the current post office network of 14,000 branches was unsustainable. It is envisaged that something along the line of 2,500 further branches will have to close.

These branches are likely to be in rural areas where they are needed most. If you are concerned, or you fear your local post office could be under threat, leave a message in the comment section. We hope this blog will act as a focus point for those of us who value the post office network, and want to fight these current plans.

The BBC story on Alistair Darlings announcement can befound here:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6176929.stm