More Post Office Face The Axe in the Borough

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Cllr Heaster to spearhead campaign against the latest round of closures

Former Trade Secretary Alistair Darling said last year that 2,500 local branches would have to go - around one in six of the national network.

But yesterday's announcement is worse than feared in Wandsworth with one in four local post offices new set to shut their doors for good. It will mean more than half the local network will have closed since 2003.

Consultation on the latest round of closures will run until April 2. The eight local branches affected are:

258 Balham High Road
268 Battersea Park Road
179 Garratt Lane
209 Lower Richmond Road
274 Mitcham Lane
New Covent Garden Market
279 Putney Bridge Road
318 Trinity Road

A ninth local branch - at 43 Northcote Road - which closed without notice in 2006 - is not now expected to reopen.

The council will host a series of public meetings to draw attention to the closures. A boroughwide postcard campaign will encourage people to respond to the official consultation.

"We don't know where this is going to end," said Cllr Heaster pictured left.

"Can we be sure that today's eight closures will be the last? We will be urging people in all parts of the borough to speak out on behalf of their local post office. Even if your local branch isn't facing closure today there is nothing to say it will be safe in the future.

"Local post offices occupy a special place at the heart of their communities. They are often the mainstay of a local shopping parade.People worst hit by these closures will be the elderly and those with limited mobility. With the local network shrinking the result will be longer queues at those that remain."

For more information on the latest closures visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/postoffices

Wandsworth Council is distributing freepost consultation response cards to every home in the borough. People can return these to the council by March 24. No stamp is needed. The council will arrange delivery of all the postcards it receives by the closing date of April 2.

People can respond direct to National Consultation Team, Post Office Ltd, FREEPOST or by email to consultation@postoffice.co.uk

February 20, 2008