Local MPs Take Fight Against Post Office Closure To Parliament

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 16th Sep 2004

Local MPs Tom Brake and Paul Burstow have today tabled a parliamentary motion to save local post offices. In the past few months, both MPs have been working with Sutton Council and with local community groups to oppose plans by Post Office Ltd to close up to nine sub-post offices in the London Borough of Sutton. Mr Brake said,

"Local people have reacted angrily to news that Sutton could lose another nine post offices when we have already lost four. Post Office management have not made a credible case closing nine post offices in our local area and they seem to be ignorant of the impact these closures will have on our local communities."

Mr Brake and Mr Burstow will also be meeting with consumer watchdog Postwatch to discuss the closure proposals.

EDM on Post Office Closures in London Borough of Sutton

That this House notes with concern the proposed closure of three sub-post offices in the Carshalton and Wallington constituency (at the Broadway in Beddington, 60 Stafford Road in Wallington and 367 Croydon Road in Wallington) and the proposed closure of six sub-post offices in the Sutton and Cheam constituency (Station Road in Belmont village, Ewell Road in Cheam village, Church Hill Road and Stonecot Hill in North Cheam, and Angel Hill and Oldfields Road in Sutton); recalls with dismay the earlier closure of branches in Westmead Road, Stanley Park Road, Banstead Road and Collingwood Road; expresses its disappointment at the refusal by Post Office management to consider data prepared by Sutton Council which could have materially affected the closure programme; draws attention to the traditional role of sub-post offices in fostering a sense of community; echoes the concerns expressed by local residents' groups that post office closures will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable residents in Sutton; and calls on residents to express their opposition to the closure proposals by writing to their MPs, to Post Office management, and to Postwatch.