County post offices 'safe' from new closures

The post office network across Shropshire is safe from future closures, it was claimed today.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said he had been assured by Royal Mail that no more post offices would be closed across the county for the foreseeable future.

The MP said he was pleased with the reassurance given by postal bosses.

Mr Paterson met Mike Dalton, head of external relations for the Royal Mail Group, at Westminster yesterday to discuss postal services in north Shropshire.

And following the recent series of closures, Mr Dalton confirmed to the MP there were no more planned for the foreseeable future.Mr Dalton also agreed to look into reopening one in a village near Ellesmere.

Mr Paterson said: "I was delighted to hear from Mike Dalton that the current network is safe. I stressed the anger caused by closures, especially in Hadnall where there was a really good case for keeping the post office open.

"We talked about the plans to relocate the post office in Dudleston Health to the village hall and he promised to come back to me with up-to-date information on the progress of this shortly."

The MP, who until recently headed an all-party committee on post offices has now called for an end to the current postal dispute.

Commenting on recent strikes he said: "With the Post Office losing 10 per cent of mail volume every year, it is vital that nothing is done to drive customers to rival services. I hope that the current dispute will soon be re-solved for the longterm be- nefit of the postal network."

In Shropshire, 14 post offices were closed with a further 13 replaced by outreach services under the network change programme last year.