Ealing Times Article
March 2008
Post Office Closures
The Post Office’s proposals to close 8 branches in the Borough and 169 across London has prompted fierce opposition from local people and publicly elected representatives including myself and other local MPs, the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone and local councillors. Two branches are earmarked for closure in my constituency – Park Parade, 6 Park Parade, Gunnersbury Avenue, W3 and Norwood Green, 175 Norwood Road, Southall UB2.
No one is suggesting that there should be no closures at all, as the Post Office seeks to modernise and get on to a sustainable footing, but the Post Office need to think very carefully about the impacts of certain closures and also about the adequacy of its consultation process.
Ken Livingstone has highlighted the fact that contrary to government best practice guidelines, this consultation is only open for 6 weeks and includes the Easter holiday period, instead of the recommended 12 weeks. He is threatening to take the Post Office to judicial review and is quite rightly arguing for a more thorough consultation before any decisions are made.
This is in part because the Post Office does not always know what it is doing. My Parliamentary colleague in Ealing, Acton & Shepherds Bush, Andrew Slaughter found that the Post Office recently directed his constituents from one closed Post Office to another Branch that had already been closed down a few months earlier!
The impacts of some of the proposed closures will be significant, especially on the elderly. Both closures in my constituency will mean a walk of nearly a mile for local people to alternative branches. In Norwood Green it will also require two bus journeys for people to access these alternative branches.
Norwood Green has developed from an ancient parish and has a village green, church, local pub and primary school but if the Post Office has its way, the heart of the village, its Post Office, will be ripped out. Post Office Branches are vital in supporting the community both socially and economically and hard questions should be asked before any are closed.
You can respond to the consultation online at www.postoffice.co.uk by email at consultation@postoffice.co.uk in writing to Anita Turner, Network Development Manager Post Office Ltd, C/O National Consultation Team FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM or by calling 08457 223344 by the 2nd April 2008.
Virendra Sharma MP
Ealing Southall