Peter
Viggers, MP for the Gosport constituency, this week expressed
alarm at a new threat to the future of the post office
network in our area following comments by Adam Crozier,
Chief Executive of the Royal Mail, that the system could
operate with just one quarter of the current branches.
This would mean that almost 11,000 of the remaining 14,000
post offices could close across the country.
Peter
explained, “Post
offices are the lifeblood of the community. But their future
is now under real threat. Since 1999, Gosport has already
lost 9 branches. Now the Post Office is warning of further
cuts, potentially meaning that up to 9 more could shut
their doors.
“Government initiatives like the ending
of the Post Office Card account, the opening of new regional
Passport Offices and moves to get people to renew their
car tax online, will undermine post offices’ business
even more.
“Adam Crozier is right in that the Post
Office’s role is to run the business as efficiently
as possible. What is lacking from the government is a clear
long-term strategy for Post Office, to help support the
branch network, and a vision for community shops in general.
The current state of the Post Office is yet another public
service failure by the Labour Government.”
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