News Defeat in fight to save Post Office
Anger, bemusement and even tears were some of the reactions from many Goole residents when it was announced that Westfield Avenue Post Office is to close in the New Year, despite appeals for it to remain open.
Support poured in for the future of the Westfield Avenue Post Office during a six-week consultation that ended on November 12, but Post Office Ltd announced last Thursday that 42 branches in East Yorkshire, Bassetlaw and North Lincolnshire were to close, one of which would be the post office in Goole's Westfield Avenue.
The post office is due to close in just over a month, on January 29. Proposals by Post Office Ltd state that services will now be provided through a network of 336 branches, including 24 'outreach' service points, supporting the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government. This should ensure that that 99 per cent of the population will be within one mile of an alternative branch. The nearest branch for customers at the Westfield Avenue Post Office will be Hedley Court main Post Office on Boothferry Road.
Adrian Wales, Post Office Ltd's network development manager North East, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly. We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation.
"We believe that the amended plan announced offers our customers in this area the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the Government's minimum access criteria and the other factors the Government has asked us to consider."
But Goole MP Ian Cawsey has slammed the decision, stating that all local efforts to save Westfield Avenue Post Office were dismissed.
"The Post Office's decision to close Westfield Avenue despite all of the public support for it and despite the evidence provided to their consultation, has left everyone angry and bemused," he said.
"We were told that this was a genuine consultation that would look at all the facts but it looks like all our efforts were simply dismissed.
"For example, when I met with the senior management of the Post Office, I pointed out to them that their claim that Hedley Court was only a few minutes on the bus was only true one way. They admitted that they didn't realise the return journey was much longer and I gave them timetable details so they could reconsider, which they said they would.
MP ANGRY AT DECISION
"I raised this in the House on the day of the announcement as I was so angry that we were not listened to, and I could tell by the reaction of other MPs from all parts of the chamber that they were having similar experiences."
But Mr Cawsey added: "I would like to thank the hundreds of people who helped, to local councillors who did what they could and to Tracy and Colin at Westfield Avenue as well for their help and support.
"There is an irony that every time I seem to switch on the TV at the moment, I see an advert that says they are the 'People's Post Office'. Well, actions speak louder than words and in our experience, those words have a hollow sound."
Tracy Barnett, post office manager at Westfield Avenue, told the Goole Times this week that the news has caused a great deal of upset.
"Four elderly ladies have been in tears over the news, because they don't know how they will get to the Hedley Court Post Office," she said.
Cllr Jean Kitchen, Goole Town Mayor, also told the Goole Times about her upset at last week's news.
"I am really upset that Westfield Avenue Post Office is to close from the end of January and I am sure that the residents, many elderly, who have written and responded to the campaign against closure will also be very distressed," she said.
'Indeed, I understand that several elderly residents were in tears when they heard of the decision last Friday. It is also a bitter blow at Christmas time for the efficient and hard-working staff who will lose their jobs.
'Statistics showed that this was a much-used facility and served the local community well. I think the government should have done more, and sooner, to help the post office and not taken work away from them."
Andrew Percy, prospective MP for Goole, added: "The question those of us who tried to save the branch will be asking is 'What more does it take?' There was a huge opposition to the proposed closure, which seems to have been totally ignored. Over the whole of East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, the Post Office has only altered six per cent of its original proposals."
Published on 20th December 2007 in News.
Add to: Digg | del.icio.us | Reddit
Comments
There are currently no comments
Comments are closed for this article.