Hitchin and Harpenden Liberal Democrats

Campaigning all year round across Hitchin and Harpenden

 Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hitchin & Harpenden, Nigel Quinton

Local people devastated as 4 Post Offices to close around Hitchin

Post Office Campaign group: PPC Nigel Quinton, Chris Canfield, Julie Bell, Mike Wakely, Jeff Phillips, Chris Grey

Post Office Campaign group: PPC Nigel Quinton, Chris Canfield, Julie Bell, Mike Wakely, Jeff Phillips, Chris Grey

Following the well attended public meeting on 23rd July, a "Campaign Committee" has been established with representatives from across Harpenden's political spectrum. Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Nigel Quinton and colleagues Jeff Phillips and Cllr Alison Steer have joined with local Conservative councillors Mike Wakely and Julie Bell and put aside party differences to work together to try to save Station Road North Post Office (as the Post Office call it) from closure.

Other members of the committee are Chris Grey, of Batford Community Action Group, and Chris Canfield, chair of governors at Manland School.

The group had their first meeting last Friday evening, and their objective is to make sure that as many people as possible contribute letters to the Post Office consultation and that the more technical submissions being prepared by the district and town councils are well argued and that all the necessary facts have been researched.

The Town Council will be kept fully informed of the group's actions and the town council website will be used to keep the public informed. A list of key points for inclusion in letters to the post office has already been posted there. These are, briefly: (1) the impact on local residents and businesses, (2) the lack of parking close to the main Post Office and the inadequacy of bus services, (3) the disproportionate impact on the less well off or infirm in our community, and (4) disabled access, which is good at Station Road North, contrary to the Post Office's Access Report, but - due to parking difficulties - very bad at the main office.

Nigel Quinton had this to say: "Very few Post Offices have been saved across the country, but where they have it has been the result of community-wide action. It is important for the well-being of Harpenden residents that the Post Office network is preserved. Closing this particular branch will disadvantage several thousand local people, not to mention local businesses. It is vital that everyone writes to the consultation team before the deadline of 26th August."

The address for people to write to express their concerns about the propose closure is:

Laura Tarling, Network Development Manager, c/o National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM, or email consultation@postoffice.co.uk

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.

Station Road post office - still under threat

Protestors outside Station Road Post Office style = float right> <p>Local Liberal Democrats are pleased that all political parties and community groups are joining 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.</p> <p>"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."</p> <p>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."</p> <p>As if the cuts in Harpenden were not bad enough, Nigel Quinton is appalled at the news that the north of the constituency is to lose four post offices.</p> <p>Blakes Corner in Hitchin, St Ippolyts, Hexton and Whitwell are all on the list for closure announced today by the Post Office.</p> <p>Looking at the proposed closures Nigel was very concerned for people in the outlying areas - losing post offices at Whitwell, Hexton and St Ippolyts will be a huge blow for local people and will inevitably lead to more car journeys into neighbouring towns. "How can we take this government seriously on climate change when it introduces policies like this?" he asked. "And whereas other areas have been promised so-called outreach services for rural areas to partly make up for the closures, it is striking that we have been promised nothing here."</p> <p>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 and other areas. 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. Only in this way can the future of our Post Office service be preserved."</p> <p>Post offices closing in Hitchin and Harpenden</p> <p>Station Road post office - still under threat</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Local Liberal Democrats are pleased that all political parties and community groups are joining 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.</p> <p>"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."</p> <p>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."</p> <p>As if the cuts in Harpenden were not bad enough, Nigel Quinton is appalled at the news that the north of the constituency is to lose four post offices.</p> <p>Blakes Corner in Hitchin, St Ippolyts, Hexton and Whitwell are all on the list for closure announced today by the Post Office.</p> <p>Looking at the proposed closures Nigel was very concerned for people in the outlying areas - losing post offices at Whitwell, Hexton and St Ippolyts will be a huge blow for local people and will inevitably lead to more car journeys into neighbouring towns. "How can we take this government seriously on climate change when it introduces policies like this?" he asked. "And whereas other areas have been promised so-called outreach services for rural areas to partly make up for the closures, it is striking that we have been promised nothing here."</p> <p>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 and other areas. 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. Only in this way can the future of our Post Office service be preserved."</p> <p class= Sign our Post Office Petition.

Protestors at Station Road Post Office.

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