Date: 21st July 2002
Embargo: 00.01 Monday 22nd July
Campaign launched to
save post offices
Welsh Liberal Democrats
today (Monday) launched a nationwide campaign to fight post office closures
throughout Wales.
More than 200 post offices
in Wales are under threat as a result of proposals to increase competition in
postal services. A further 200 offices have already closed since the UK Labour
Government came to power in 1997.
Now Welsh Liberal Democrats
are working to harness the views of thousands of people across Wales. Local
campaigners are circulating a series of local petitions through their regular
Focus newsletters. The complete petitions will be sent to the UK Government in
the autumn.
Peter Black, the Welsh Liberal
Democrats’ Assembly finance spokesperson, said: “Welsh Liberal Democrats
believe that local post offices are a vital community service and that the UK
Government should do everything it can to stop this wave of closures. We need
as many people as possible to sign our petition and support the campaign.”
Michael German, leader of
the Welsh Liberal Democrats in the Assembly plans to meet senior Consignia
officials at the Royal Welsh Show this week to discuss the closure plans. He
said: “The rapid introduction of competition will lead to inevitable
cherry-picking of the Post Office businesses. Rural Wales risks losing not only
its post offices, but also the reliability of its delivery services.
“The latest plans to close post office also threaten urban communities.
These closures will impact most on the
elderly, the disabled and those in poverty. In fact, the needs of vulnerable
groups are not being addressed in the decision making process at all.”
“Postwatch is the only body which could champion the needs
of customers, but so far the watchdog’s actions have been nonexistent.
Effectively, there is no one looking out for the interests of those who will be
most badly affected. Public confidence is not likely to be raised by the
knowledge that the Chief Executive was previously Railtrack’s head of
government relations.” ends