Dec 13, 2007
Lib Dems condemn Labour’s “vicious” Post Office cuts
This week we found out how hard Reading will be hit by Labour’s latest round of Post Office closures. The town will lose five offices at Erleigh Road, Basingstoke Road, Wantage Road in West Reading, Hemdean Road in Caversham and Kentwood Hill in Tilehurst
Cllr Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Campaigner for Reading East, described the cuts as “vicious”.
“Post offices play a vital role in our local communities. These closures will hit local people, especially older residents, very hard indeed. The cuts are at the extreme end of what we feared might happen and they are going to have a seriously damaging effect.”
Last month, Lib Dem leadership contender Chris Huhne MP (in photo with Gareth inside Erleigh Road PO) met staff and customers at Erleigh Road Post Office– one of those scheduled for closure- where he launched Reading East Lib Dems’ “Save Reading’s Post Offices” petition. Chris said, “Labour and Conservative governments have decimated our Post Office network. Only the Liberal Democrats have a plan to save our local post offices and to open new post offices when needed.”
Liberal Democrats have pledged to invest £2bn in the Post office network and open new branches. Post Offices would be given more freedom to develop new business and become profit-making. Liberal Democrats want the government to have a legal obligation to maintain Post Office services in local communities.
Gareth Epps said, “Any downgrading of local services is unfortunate but to be losing three Post Offices in our local area at once is madness. Lib Dems and local residents will be campaigning strongly to Save Reading’s Post Offices”
Back in November, Gareth Epps successfully lobbied Royal Mail to extend the consultation on these proposed closures to the end of January. The original intention was for the consultation to run over the Christmas period.
Gareth Epps said, “Any downgrading of local services is unfortunate but to be losing three Post Offices in our local area at once is madness. Lib Dems and local residents will be campaigning strongly to Save Reading’s Post Offices”
The “Save Reading’s Post Offices” petition is available to sign online by clicking and following this link.
