MP demands that Post Office Ltd face the public over closures

Hull North MP Diana Johnson has written to Post Office Ltd asking them to meet local people in Hull North over their proposed closure of two post offices.

Post Office Ltd recently launched a consultation period, concluding on 12 November, under its 'Network Change Programme'. This could result in the closure of local post office branches at 504 Beverley Road and 75 Princes Avenue in the Hull North Constituency from January 2008.

Diana Johnson MP has offered to organise a face to face meeting between local residents and Post Office Ltd during the consultation period.

The Government is providing £1.7 billion in funding for the post office branch network up to 2011. The losses of Post Office Ltd ran at £4 million per week last year. Without this Government subsidy there would be only 4,000 post office branches across the country, compared to the 14,300 branches currently open and the 12,000 branches in the plans being put forward by Post Office Ltd.

Diana has been encouraging Post Office Ltd to work with credit unions as a way of safeguarding and promoting the services of both organisations. The MP is also encouraging Hull's Lib Dem Council to do more to promote the use by local people of post office branches for paying bills and charges for local authority services.

Diana Johnson MP said: "Many local people, including pensioners living in the affected areas, are concerned about what the closure of local post office branches in Beverley Road and Princes Avenue will mean for their access to post office services.

"Post Office Ltd makes the final decisions on its post office branch network - not the Government or individual MPs. It is therefore vital that Post Office Ltd is prepared to hear the views of local people about their proposals - if their consultation is to be seen as genuine.

"I have therefore offered to organise a meeting between Post Office Ltd and residents in areas of Hull North most affected by the proposals being put forward by Post Office Ltd.

"In addition, I will be meeting Post Office Ltd to express my concern about their plans, but I would also encourage local people to take part in the Post Office Ltd consultation before the 12 November deadline. They can also sign my petition supporting the post office network as a key public service on which many local people rely. This can be done through my website at www.dianajohnson.co.uk.

"Post Office Ltd faces tough decisions due to falling customer usage, EU regulations, new technology and other commercial pressures even though the Government is providing £1.7 billion of public subsidy for the branch network. But we must ensure that people still have a modern local post office service that meets their needs."

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