THE proposed closure of up to 67 post offices in the region has sparked a Commons' protest.
Withington MP John Leech said the post office has failed to justify why specific branches were selected for closure and urges people to campaign against the cuts.
He said: "Local post offices provides a vital service to their communities and play a valuable role in the sustainability of local shops."
As revealed by the M.E.N, there are plans to close 67 of 380 branches in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and the High Peak.
Click here to see a map of the post offices which are afffected.
A six-week consultation period which gives the public a chance to air their views on the proposed closures began on Tuesday and ends on July 21.
The
Post Office
claims 99.2 per cent of the area's population will see no change or will be a mile from an alternative branch.
Campaigners in Rochdale have already collected 16,000 signatures in a petition opposed to axing seven post offices.
Countryside campaigners are also urging people to protest to the prime minister.
Countryside Alliance spokesman Richard Dodd said: "We feel that the government has missed the point on post offices which are at the social heart of many communities.
"Without them many thousands of people, including the elderly and disabled, will be increasingly isolated."
He said residents should continue to use and support their local Post Office but also write to Gordon Brown protesting about the closure nationally of 2,500 branches.
Information on how to comment is available at all 67 threatened post offices and people can email consultation@postoffice.co.uk.
Click here
to see if your local post office is affected
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Showing comments 1 to 6 and replies | View All
Karney for head of GMPTA(formerly MC Spanner) (12/06/2008 at 10:28)
What is the Liberal proposal on how to fund the Post Office? Where is the money coming from?
Matt Baker (12/06/2008 at 11:49)
"Campaigners in Rochdale have already collected 16,000 signatures in a petition opposed to axing seven post offices."
The Lib Dems collected these signatures to save ALL post offices across the Borough. So, in effect, Paul Rowen is presenting signatures to Parliament to save post offices that are not under threat. How much support there is for the seven post offices in question is not clear. This petition was done ages ago when the Lib Dems whipped up their usual hysteria about all post offices in Rochdale closing down.
I B Happy, Seven Dwarfs Mansion (12/06/2008 at 12:43)
Pointless!
Here in the Peoples Republic of Ashton. they closed the sub post offices furthest away from the main post office (in the town centre) so as to provide more income for it - then they transfered it to WH Smiths (they have as many as 9 behind the counter so its not through lack of business that they clossed the main office) - Stratford upon Avon main PO is in a Supermarket - The government do not want the Post Office or Royal Mail to survive.
Trudy, Bolton (12/06/2008 at 13:02)
David Hennigan (13/06/2008 at 00:29)
You are right to comment that our 16,000 names are from the whole Borough. Don't forget that you accused us of scraemongering when we warned this would happen.
We have so far collected an estimated 3,500 signatures and more are pouring in every day. Meanwhile, the local Labour Party claim to want to fight to save them. This is nonsense, when the nearest Parliamentary reps - Dobbin and Woolas voted NOT to suspend the closures! We will not listen to lectures from people like you thank you very much!
kilrush (13/06/2008 at 07:18)