MP attacks post office closures

Twenty post offices are to close across Herefordshire as part of plans to shut almost a third of branches nationwide, a Conservative MP has claimed.

Leominster MP Bill Wiggin said he had been told 13 of the closures would be branches in his constituency.

The shadow minister for Agriculture and Fisheries said the plans to close up to 2,500 branches nationwide were "running roughshod over the local community".

Royal Mail said an official announcement would be made next week.

Mr Wiggin said he had seen documents confirming the plans, which will go to public consultation until 7 October.

'Outreach programmes'

He said: "I think it's disgraceful and I will fight it every inch of the way.

"I am still really reeling at the size of the impact on my constituency.

"For many local people, they will not be able to travel long distances to use other Post Offices, especially in areas where there are poor public transport links.

"There's potential to renegotiate some of the outreach programmes which will affect eight current post offices although the five closures will be difficult to reverse."

The MP said Brampton Bryan, Edwin Ralph, Lyonshall, Rushall and Sutton St Nicholas would completely close.

There would be limited outreach services for Almeley, Bishops Frome, Cradley, Lower Eggleton, Pembridge, Upper Sapey, Whitney on Wye and Wigmore.

He said he did not know which post offices in the rest of the county would be affected.