Full details of London Post Office closures revealed » Housing » 24dash.com

Post Office Ltd today announced decisions on the future of Post Office branches across London following a six-week public consultation.

Post Office services will be provided though a network of 688 branches, which supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government and ensures that more than seven million London residents will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile, by road distance, of an alternative branch.

The plan confirmed today means that 155 branches will close in London with the first closures scheduled to take place from June 2008.

Seven branches originally proposed for closure - Kenyon Street Post Office, 58 Kenyon Street, Fulham SW6 6LB; Kingston Road Post Office, 104 Kingston Road, Wimbledon SW19 1LX; Lambeth Walk Post Office, 34 Vauxhall Street SE11 5LG; Page Green Post Office, 87 Broad Lane, South Tottenham N15 4DW; Shepherds Bush Road Post Office, 146 Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith W6 7PB; Starch Green Post Office, 7 Kings Parade, Askew Road W12 9BA; Walton Road Post Office, 96 Warrior Square, Walton Road, E12 5RT; - will now remain open following a review of the issues raised during consultation.

The public consultation for one branch, Formosa Street Post Office in W9, has been extended until May 30 and in addition, the proposal to close the following branches is currently under further review:

102-104 Bollo Bridge Road, W3 8DD
228 Chingford Road, E17 5AL
619 Forest Road, E17 4NE
242 Gipsy Road, SE27 9RB
240 Masterman Road, E6 3NJ
29 Orford Road, E17 9NL

The river Thames to the south west of Kenyon Street Post Office would act as a natural barrier for some customers travelling to some of the other branches within a mile radius distance and Post Office Ltd recognises the two nearest alternative branches have steps into the premises, making access difficult for customers with limited mobility.

Whilst there are bus services to the suggested nearest Post Office branches, the location of bus stops are a prohibitive distance for people with limited mobility. In the light of these and all other factors Post Office Ltd has reviewed its proposals and Kenyon Street Post Office branch will remain in the network.

The main concern raised about the Kingston Road Post Office branch was that the elderly, many of whom live in sheltered housing nearby, would be unable to reach other branches.

Post Office Ltd is aware that that there is no bus route to the nearest alternative branch and although there is a bus service to the second nearest alternative Post Office branch the location of the bus stop closest to Kingston Road Post Office is a prohibitive distance for anyone with limited mobility and the route is hilly for pedestrians.

Post Office Ltd also became aware of the fragility of other businesses near the Kingston Road branch and believes they would be adversely affected if the Post Office closed.

Taking these and all other relevant factors into account, Post Office Ltd has decided not to proceed with the closure of this branch.

The significant level of sheltered housing and a residential and business regeneration project as well as lack of a direct bus route to the nearest alternative Post Office branch, led Post Office Ltd to reconsider its proposal for Lambeth Walk Post Office branch.

Taking these and all other relevant factors into consideration, Post Office Ltd has decided to retain Lambeth Walk Post Office in its network.

Post Office Ltd was made aware of the high level of sheltered and temporary accommodation in the area surrounding the Page Green Post Office branch, as well as the planned housing development in the Tottenham Hale area which will include up to 6,000 residential units.

Taking these and all other relevant factors into consideration Post Office Ltd has decided to retain Page Green Post Office branch in its network.

Taking into account other branches that are planned to be closed in the area near Shepherds Bush Road Post Office branch, Post Office Ltd does not believe that it would be able to offer customer reasonable access to its services in the future if it went ahead with this closure.

Taking all relevant factors into account, including the location of accommodation for people with special needs, the sheltered housing units nearby and the planned new business developments in Hammersmith, Post Office Ltd has decided to keep this branch in its network.

During the public consultation Post Office Ltd was made aware of planned new residential developments, including units specifically for people with special needs, near Starch Green Post Office branch.

Pocklington Lodge for visually impaired people is very close to Starch Green Post Office and residents would face difficulties in reaching any other branch.

Taking into account other planned Post Office closures in the vicinity Post Office Ltd believes these customers would be seriously disadvantaged if the Starch Green Post Office closed and, taking this and all relevant factors into account, has decided to retain this branch.

Post Office Ltd received more details about existing sheltered accommodation and the large-scale £150 million regeneration project in the area near the Walton Road branch.

The regeneration included the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new social housing accommodation. Taking into account other planned Post Office branch closures in the area, Post Office Ltd believes that customers in this community would no longer have reasonable access to Post Office services if the Walton branch closed as the route to other branches is across busy roads in two different directions.

Taking these and all other relevant factors into account, Post Office Ltd has decided to retain Walton Road Post Office in its network.

Full details of the decisions and the issues raised during local public consultation are available by visiting http://www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange or by writing to Post Office Ltd at Freepost Consultation Team (no stamp needed) or by emailing consultation@postoffice.co.uk.

During the six week local public consultation, Post Office Ltd received around 27,600 responses and attended 79 meetings with customers and their representatives to understand customers' concerns and to ensure that all information provided by customers formed part of the final decision regarding each affected branch.

Anita Turner, Post Office Ltd's Network Development Manager for London, 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 today offers our customers in London 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."

Crown Post Offices are not included in the Network Change Programme that is implementing the compulsory compensated closure of up to 2,500 Post Office branches nationally.

Post Office Ltd announced in April 2007 that, out of its 458 Crown Post Office branches nationwide, it would continue to directly run 373 with WHSmith operating an additional 70 from its nearby stores.

At the same time Post Office Ltd announced that further work would be carried out to review options such as potential franchising for the remaining
15 Crown Post Offices nationwide - seven of them in London.

One of these (Enfield Wash) has now been franchised and decisions will shortly be made about proposals to franchise Crown Post Offices in Tottenham, Maida Hill, East Acton and Borough High Street.

Public consultation has been held on a proposal to close Essex Road Crown Post Office in N1 but Post Office Ltd announced today it has been decided not to proceed with the closure of this branch at this time as discussions with a potential franchise partner are now underway.

If these negotiations are successful there will be a six week consultation on a proposal to franchise this Post Office branch.

It has been decided, following public consultation, to close the Crown Post Office at Ludgate Circus, 16-18 New Bridge Street, EC4. However the date of closure of this Post Office branch will be delayed whilst Post Office Ltd explores potential provision of alternative access points for customers in the area to post mail.

These could include the provision of some self-service mailing facilities and Post Office Ltd is currently in discussion with various interested parties.

The nearest alternative main Post Office branches are 52, Blackfriars Road SE1 8NN which is half a mile away and 81/89 Farringdon Road, EC1M 3LL which is 0.6 miles away.