Survey reveals extent of residents' anger over post office closures

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 10th May 2004

Early results from a recent Lib Dem council survey have revealed that post offices have had an impact on local communities in Islington and caused residents a lot of inconvenience. As part of Lib Dem Islington council's scrutiny into the impact of post office closures in Islington, surveys were sent out to local residents living near two recently closed post offices on Westbourne Road and Archway Road. Early results indicate that: A large majority of residents had used both post offices, most more than once a week Many had been using the post office for a long time Most residents now have further to travel to a post office, have longer to queue and can't visit the post office as often There has been a real sense that a part of the community has been lost and this has had a particular impact on the elderly and the disabled

Liberal Democrat Bridget Fox, who has been leading the fight against post office closures, said: "Local communities are hit hard by post office closures as our survey clearly shows. People care about their post offices and are understandably angry to lose them. It also means that the most vulnerable like older people, young mums and the disabled have more difficulty getting to the post office. "Complaints about long queues suggest that the post office network in Islington is already at bursting point let alone if there are any more closures. Labour may not be taking an interest in the future of local post offices but your local Lib Dems are and I want to thank all the residents who responded." Full results will be published and discussed at the 6th May Regeneration Review Committee meeting. Some comments from residents received so far are: "All the post offices have large queues, I have to cross a busy road and walk further. We were all sick when Westbourne Road closed down. The community has gone down the river. The old people used to love to meet each other there." "Closing our local PO has caused many of the elderly in our community hardships. It takes some a day to get their pension and payments done. We objected but feel our cries totally ignored." "I am very disappointed that Post Offices are closing. Many people do not have bank accounts and do not want one. Also some elderly people meet each other for a chat. We don't want to queue in banks." "I was disgusted that they closed Westbourne Road. That post office has been a part of the community for years."