MPs' fury at post office closures
Workers at post offices across Staffordshire were today facing up to the reality of their branches being axed – while angry MPs hit out over the consultation process which ended in the closures being confirmed.
Workers at post offices across Staffordshire were today facing up to the reality of their branches being axed – while angry MPs hit out over the consultation process which ended in the closures being confirmed.
Campaigns were launched to try to save branches but have failed despite strong objections to the closures. Now 49 branches in Staffordshire and Shropshire will be axed, with the first closures expected in August. South Staffordshire MP Sir Patrick Cormack said he was "deeply disappointed" at the decision to shut the Seisdon branch.
He said there had been a "strong local campaign and virtually unanimous demand" that it remained open.
"The Post Office's decision shows an arrogant disregard to those elderly people in particular who do not have transport and who will now have to make their way to Wombourne for post office facilities," he said.
"This is a very harsh decision and as the period of consultation was as recent as June 9, it seems to me that consultation exercise was something of a charade."
St John Street, in Chapel Lane, and Whittington Barracks post offices are being axed in Lichfield, prompting an angry reaction from the city's Conservative MP who said it "made a mockery" of the consultation period.
Michael Fabricant said: "Hundreds of protest letters and my own representations made it clear to the Post Office that the closure of the St John Street Post Office in particular would create real difficulties for elderly and disabled customers who cannot easily make it to the post office in Bakers Lane."
Stafford's Labour MP David Kidney said the decision was "predictable but disappointing for residents who worked hard to save their local post offices".
He said he would be writing to Postwatch to see if if planned to pursue procedures for a review of, particularly, the Marston Road and Great Bridgeford post offices in his constituency.
Mr Kidney said that the adage "use it or lose it" was a reality when it came to the survival of post offices.
Where the axe will fall
Among the post office branches that will now be closed down in Staffordshire and Shropshire are the following:
Borough Park, Willington Road, Tamworth; The Old Post Office, Codsall Wood, near Wolverhampton; Great Bridgeford, Whitgreave Lane, Great Bridgeford, near Stafford; High Street, Burton upon Trent; Hopwas, Nursery Lane, Hopwas, Tamworth; Marchington, Burnside, Church Lane, Marchington,
Uttoxeter; Marston Road, Stafford; Milford, Home Farm, Milford, near Stafford; Seisdon Post Office & Stores, Crockington Lane, Seisdon, near
Wolverhampton; St Aidans, Pye Green Road, Cannock; St John Street, Chapel Lane, Lichfield; Stowe-By-Chartley, Station Road, Stowe-By-Chartley, near Stafford; Uttoxeter Heath, High Street, Uttoxeter; Walton,
Fillybrooks, Stone;
Whittington Barracks, Lichfield; Wolverhampton Road branch in Stafford.
