Original Harpenden Post Office to Close

11.37.05am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 23rd Jul 2008

Following hard on the heels of the news that 5 of St Albans post offices are to go as part of the Government's cuts on local services comes the news Harpenden has been dreading - Station Road North Post Office is to join them.

Local Liberal Democrats are hoping that all political parties and community groups can join together to fight this closure - as only a concerted campaign by the whole community can save what is believed to be Harpenden's first post office, which has served East Harpenden and Batford for more than 120 years.

Parliamentary Candidate Nigel Quinton commented: "There is absolutely no justification for these latest cuts by this Labour Government. The total savings across the country will amount to just £45 million - the post office board between them cost us £9 million last year in salary and bonuses alone.

"The people most affected by these closures will be the old, the infirm and the vulnerable, many of whom rely on their local Post Office and who are not able to simply walk - or more likely drive - to the next nearest branch. And in these days of increasing concern about identity theft and fraud, it is just plain stupid to remove the most secure form of transaction - the cross counter relationship at one's local Post Office branch."

And it seems these cuts will not be the last - Labour's "access criteria" suggest the country only "needs" 7,500 branches, suggesting there will be another 4000 closures even after these swingeing cuts go through.

Local councillor Alison Steer said, "We must fight this closure with all our hearts and minds. I urge local people to sign our petition, which will be widely available, but more importantly, to write to the Post Office consultation to record your objection."

Nigel had this to say about the national policy of Post Office Closures: "It has been great to see all parties working together to fight local closures in St Albans. For the moment we must put all political differences aside and set about writing letters to the consultation to protest in the loudest possible way. Ultimately though, we would like the other political parties to do more than just campaign for their local post office - we want them to endorse the plans we published in 2006 that set out a radical transformation of the Post Office Network, which would be separated from Royal Mail and recognised as the social service that it is."

For guidance on how to respond to the consultation, please check the St Albans LibDem website - www.stalbanslibdems.org.uk.