Starting to dig into the information on how the Post Office is going to run its programme of branch closures, in terms of how it will impact on Whittlesford and Thriplow. The UK has been divided into 47 areas, and for each area the Post Office will develop an Area Plan Proposal setting out the changes it intends. Following publication of the Area Plan Proposal, there is a six week public consultation, then the decision is made, although those Post Office branches identified for closure which then go into a second review as a result of PostWatch intervention then go through another process.
For Cambridgeshire, the Area Plan will be published on 8th July. There are 172 post offices in the county, excluding Peterborough. If the closure rate is 17 to 18 per cent, as in Sussex, that would mean 29 to 31 branches would close. In Leicestershire and Rutland, and Wiltshire, the closure rates have been closer to 14%, in Kent, 16%.
The arguments put forward during public consultation on Area Plans in other parts of the country: vulnerable customer groups, bus journey lengths and frequency, parking, impact on local services eg shops, queues lengthened at other offices as a result.
The success rate for reversing the initial decisions is low: one to two changes per area, even where proposed closures went to reconsideration following review by Postwatch.
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