"Hands off our Post Offices!"

MP sends constituents' message to Post Office Ltd.

21.10.04

The public consultation over plans to close three further post offices in the borough as part of the Post Office's Network Reinvention Plan ended on Wednesday, 20th October. As part of his campaign to save the Post Offices, local Liberal Democrat MP Edward Davey sent in hundreds of petitions collected from angry residents around the constituency to the Head of Area in the National Consultation Team at Post Office Ltd.

The public consultation considered the closure of the Berrylands branch, the Chiltern Drive branch and the Malden Manor branch. This comes after the closure of two New Malden sub-post offices and two sub-post offices in Tolworth in the last 2 years.

Edward Davey MP said,

"The support for the campaign was overwhelming and I received well in excess of 1,000 signatures. This is something which local residents feel very strongly about.

"I have told representatives from Post Office Limited and Postwatch in no uncertain terms exactly what a devastating effect these closures will have on the local community. The sheer volume of petitions received from all over my constituency underlines these concerns.

"This is particularly worrying for the communities served by the Berrylands and Malden Manor branches as there are an awful lot of elderly and disabled residents. The closures would strike hardest at the vulnerable heart of the community.

"The whole community has done everything it can to let the Post Office know how it feels. I only hope they will sit up and listen."

The three branches faced with possible closure are:

Berrylands branch, 32 Berrylands Road, Surbiton KT5 8LS
Chiltern Drive branch, 123 Chiltern Drive, Surbiton KT5 8LS
Malden Manor branch, 113 Manor Drive North, New Malden, KT3 5PD