Helen Morgan hits out over Post Office closures

Helen Morgan MP has criticised the Post Office for cutting outreach services in villages across North Shropshire at a time when a major branch in Oswestry remains under threat.

The North Shropshire MP said services “need improving, not axing” and warned that vulnerable people who are already cut off from high streets by poor public transport will be the ones who suffer as a result.

Residents who support the campaign to protect and improve Post Office services in rural areas are being encouraged to sign Helen’s petition here.

It comes as Helen continues her campaign to keep Oswestry Post Office open after the shop on Willow Street was listed as one of the 115 crown branches set to be closed by the Post Office.

The MP’s petition to Save Oswestry Post Office has been signed by thousands of residents concerned at the threat to the only branch in the area that offers a full range of services to small businesses.

And now the Post Office has announced that outreach services in Cockshutt, Clive, Knockin, Weston Rhyn, West Felton, Ruyton XI Towns and Shawbury are all set to be shut. The majority of these had been run by the Trefonen postmistress who has recently resigned from her post.

This means the Post Office is now seeking applicants to run a Post Office in Trefonen, the centre of Oswestry and the Cabin Lane area where the existing Co-op is due to shut in July.

Helen – who met with the Post Office on Friday to push for services to be protected - is planning to present her petition in Parliament and is keen to hear from constituents affected by the changes to the local services.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “I’m very disappointed that the Post Office is choosing to cut services at a time when they need improving, not axing.

“The Post Office has drastically reduced these services and made them difficult to access and is now using the resultant lack of demand to justify closing them.

“Vulnerable and elderly people who are already isolated and cut off from nearby services will suffer as a result.

“If you are affected by these changes please get in touch with me – and with the Post Office so that we can make the strength of feeling clear.”