WEIR MEETS POST OFFICE OVER CLOSURE PLAN

SERIOUS CONCERNS REMAIN BUT SOME “GLIMMER OF HOPE” FOR RURAL SERVICES 

Angus MP Mike Weir today ( Wednesday) attended a meeting with senior representatives of Royal Mail to discuss the current post office closure programme. The event was one of the Royal Mail ‘s programme of “stakeholder consultations” about the proposals.

Speaking after the event Mr Weir said that he continued to have concerns over post office services in Angus.

“There is as yet no detail as to what is proposed for Angus, and will be none until early next year. I pressed the officials on the question of services in rural areas. It is clear that if there are unplanned closures over and above those in the compensated scheme there is absolutely no guarantee that Royal Mail will replace these with like for like services. It is much more likely that these areas will receive a much reduced service”

“The one glimmer of hope for rural areas is that Royal Mail are looking at an extension of outreach services which may mean that some areas which presently have no service will receive some services, although they will be limited. Whilst they are presently only considering them for areas where the national criteria is not met I will be pressing them to consider them for other areas that have lost their post offices, like the village of Friockheim.”

Mr Weir added that he believed the current  programme was a lost opportunity to rebalance  the whole network

“Because of past programmes and unplanned closures the current network is unbalanced. The government and Post Office should be looking at how to create a network that will adequately serve everyone, which may mean opening new offices. It is clear, however, that the current programme is only about more closures , which is a serious missed opportunity for the network.”