THE LATEST round of regional post office consultations began today (Tuesday 5 August) in South Yorkshire, Huddersfield, Colne Valley and North Derbyshire. While I know that no one wants to see Post Offices closing, it is clear that as a society we are using them a lot less as more and more services become available online.
As a result, the Post Office has been losing custom and losing money. There are now about four million fewer customers a week compared to a few years ago and the network is losing half a million pounds every single day. In fact, if it wasn't for subs
idies by the Government, thousands more branches would be under threat.
In South Yorkshire, Huddersfield, Colne Valley and North Derbyshire, 1.5 million customers are currently served by 320 branches. The Post Office proposes to close 66 – retaining a total of 452 branches.
Under this proposal, 90.3% of the population will see no change to the branch they currently use. The Post Office will maintain 18 branches which support the only essential retailer in their community and 44 branches that provide the only access to cash in that particular community.
The future for the Post Office network cannot be about turning the clock back and wishing away the changes in technology and communications that have taken place in recent years – changes that most of us have taken part in, in one way or another. It must be about developing new products and services which attract custom and about ensuring the viability of the network which remains after the current closures.
Pat McFadden
Minister for Employment Relations and Postal AffairsThe full article contains 290 words and appears in South Yorkshire Times newspaper.
