5-8-02

Barrett launches campaign to stop Post Office closures

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today launched a major campaign to ensure the long-term security of post offices throughout Edinburgh.

Following hundreds of post office closures in the UK during the last few years, the Government now admits that up to 3,000 more post offices could close. The universal daily collection and delivery of mail is also under threat because of a proposal to increase competition in the postal services market.

John Barrett has written to all post offices in Edinburgh West, asking them to get their customers to sign the petition. Once collected the petitions will be presented to the Department for Trade & Industry.

In a statement, John Barrett said:

"I believe local post offices are a vital community service and that the Government should do everything it can to prevent this wave of closures. Yet instead, the DTI seemed resigned to the decline of the post office network.

"Furthermore, the rapid introduction of competition will lead to the inevitable cherry-picking of the Post Office business which will make carrying the financial burden of the universal service obligation even more onerous.

"The more people who sign the petition, the more pressure can be put on the DTI to take action and save our post office network."

ENDS

You can add your name with the online petition.