Brian Paddick

The latest figures from the Post Office published today suggest that up to 169 post offices in the Greater London area will close due to the network change programme.

To locate the Post Offices near your threatened with closure then click here. The Offices are ordered by Parliamentary constituency but if you don’t know which constituency you live in then all you need do is follow this link and add your postcode where requested.

Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate Brian Paddick has condemned the proposed closures, saying:

“Post offices are at the heart of local communities and we must do our utmost to preserve them.

“The trouble with economic arguments is they leave people out of the equation.

“People rely on their local services and to suggest closing a fifth of all post offices in London shows a complete disregard for the needs of the local population.”

Andy Furey, of the Communication Workers Union described the “claim that these closures and franchising proposals will not affect local services” as “wilfully naïve” and added that “the current network is sustainable but it needs investment from Government and a collaborative approach to business plans from Post Office Limited.”

The cuts were further criticised by the National Pensioners Convention who argued that the government had ignored the fact that post offices offered a lifeline for millions of elderly people.

The anger in London is especially great due to the disproportionate effect of post office closures on the city in recent years. London lost 30% of its post offices in 2004 and the latest round of cuts will now mean the number of offices will be down 45% on pre 2004 levels; a simply massive reduction.

London Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake echoed these concerns saying the reductions were:

“far too colossal in a city which is experiencing vast levels of rapid population growth. Who can predict how many post offices we will need in two, five or even ten years time. If premises are shut now, the chances of them, or other premises in a similar area, being available again should they be needed in the future are very slim.”

He also added his surprise that the three post offices within the Parliamentary Estate had not been considered for closure.

“I can not fathom why, when MP’s have three offices within 500 meters of them, and some people have none within 1 kilometer of them, the latter were picked to be the subjects of closure. Perhaps it is time common sense prevailed.”