Two city post offices to shut

Mar 20 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

TWO Liverpool Post Offices will now be closed despite the intervention of an independent watchdog.

The Post Office announced decisions to close Mill Street and Soho Street branches after widespread opposition to a public consultation.

The six-week consultation ended on December 17 but no final decision was taken as Postwatch, the independent watchdog for postal services, had expressed concerns about the proposals.

The watchdog undertook a review in light of the proposed transfer of the Liverpool St John’s Crown Post Office to WHSmith.

That has now concluded and Post Office Ltd has decided to proceed with the closure of Mill Street and Soho Street.

Last night the Tories lost a bid to prevent the closure of these and other post offices nationwide, with Labour rebels narrowing the majority to just 20 despite appeals for government MPs to “put constituents above party politics.”

A vote in the House of Commons to suspend the closures was lost by 268 to 288. At least four Labour MPs voted with the Tories.

The Liverpool Post Office closures will be added to the list of 60 branch closures across Merseyside, Wirral, Cheshire, Wigan, Leigh and Makerfield, that were announced in January.

It has been agreed with Postwatch that these two closures will not take place until the consultation on the transfer of Liverpool St John’s post office to WHSmith has concluded and the outcome has been decided.

This proposal will see the branch relocated into the Liverpool One development in South John Street.

A further announcement regarding this proposed transfer will be made shortly and Post Office Ltd will continue to keep the provision of post office services in this area under review.

A Post Office statement said: “The remaining network of 372 branches in the area, including six outreach outlets, supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government and ensures that more than 99% of this area’s population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile, by road distance, of an alternative branch.”

richarddown