Post Offices Closures Will Make Queues Even Longer - Teather

11.33.35am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 19th Feb 2008

There are twice as many people for each post office in London than in the rest of the country, Liberal Democrat figures have revealed.

On the day the Government launches its plans to close 169 post offices in the capital, census data analyzed by the Liberal Democrats show that in the UK as a whole, there is one post office for every 3,860 people, but in London that figure rises to over 8,460.

The current major closure programme, known as Network Change, plans a total reduction of 2,500 UK post offices, but with a clear plan to take this in proportion from each region, this will retain the gross under-provision in London.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary and London MP, Sarah Teather said:

"Today's announcement is a kick in the teeth for Londoners. We already have a second-class service with half as many post offices per head as the rest of the UK. It is no wonder we have to queue so long to post a parcel.

"Rather than shrinking the service in London even further, Labour should encourage the Post Office to grow the business by focusing on cutting queuing times and improving service.

"This programme of cuts will have a huge impact on the elderly and most vulnerable members of our community as well as hitting small businesses who rely on post offices for essential services."

Notes

1. The reductions under Network Change are being planned equally across each region, in the interests of fairness. The planned reductions are based on access standards (see below). It has been calculated that, in order to meet these standards, only 7,500 Post Offices nationally would be needed.

Network Change Access Criteria

Nationally:

· 99% of the UK population to be within 3 miles and 90% of the population to be within 1 mile of their Post Office outlet

· 99% of the total population in deprived urban areas across the UK to be within 1 mile of their nearest Post Office outlet

· 95% of the total urban population across the UK to be within 1 mile of their nearest Post Office outlet

· 95% of the total rural population across the UK to be within 3 miles of their nearest Post Office outlet

· In addition, for each individual postcode district:

· 95% of the population of the postcode district to be within 6 miles of their nearest Post Office outlet