Making the case for post office customers

The DTI’s consultation on its proposals for the future of the post office network has now closed. Postwatch has drawn together a detailed and comprehensive response, making 99 recommendations, and the full consultation response can be read here.

Postwatch is concerned that:

• Government has proposed 2,500 closures, but the case for these have not been fully made
• the proposals do not go far enough to create a viable post office network
• the access criteria are confusing and ambiguous- they fail to offer sufficient protection, particularly for urban deprived areas
• other local factors should be considered wherever Post Office Ltd proposes individual changes to the network, for example traveling time to the nearest alternative and local socio-economic factors
• the social role is welcomed, but needs to be articulated more explicitly
• Postwatch is set to be abolished midway through the programme, which could damage the programme’s effectiveness
• Local consultation is key, and local consultations should last for 12 weeks

Government is set to announce its intentions before the end of the month, and Postwatch looks forward to continuing discussions with the DTI to achieve the optimum solution for customers who rely on access to post office services.