Post Office Closure Programme Arrives in Pontefract

There are nine local post offices listed for closure in this part of the world was the announcement today, one each for Pontefract and Castleford and four for Normanton with three others around Wakefield district.

We have until the 23rd of June for consultations, but on the document that the Post Office is issuing to users of the Hardwick Road Branch right up front it says:

"The Government has decided that up to 2500 Post Office branches across the UK will close.

This local public consultation will not change the Government decision........."

Something we really must thank our local MPs for. There was a vote in Parliament on the 19th March to suspend closures and to review the consultation process, the Government defeated the motion to suspend by only 20 votes our 4 local Labour MP's backed the Government, and sacrificed their constituents in the process.

Despite the tone of the closure letter we must contest this. Certainly the Hardwick Road Branch is a busy vibrant and viable Post Office and the logic for closure is crazy. The fact that there is a Crown Post Office in the Town Centre 1.3 miles away might as well be on the moon for some of the more elederly and less mobile customers. In fact there is a 450 yard walk from the nearest bus stop to the Crown Post Office on Ropergate and it is not exactly a pleasure coping with the queues that form there already.

The sad thing is because of the Government target, if we can make the case to keep open Hardwick Road, another part of the community will suffer.

This is a cynical divide and conquer process, with others breathing a sigh of relief, thing is whilst this is a large programme it certainly seems like there are more planned.

If you want to look at the Royal Mail West Yorkshire Closures Document I have linked to it here, you will need to scroll down towards the bottom of the page.