CUSTOMERS FACE 4TH CHANGE OF POST OFFICE
a media release on Thursday 6th March from William Graham AM
William Graham (Conservative AM for South Wales East) responding to the news that the General Rees Square Post Office is to be relocated to WH Smiths:
“I accept that the Post Office should ensure that they are an efficient business. I also realise that Government has invested in the Post Office, but it has also caused a decline in the services our Post Offices provide for the communities they serve”.
“The Government’s decision to pay state pensions and benefits straight into bank accounts has also had a serious impact on post office business. A great deal of governmental business can now be done online and, in other cases, work previously done by the Post Office – for example, renewing television licenses – has now been contracted to other agencies”.
“However, this relocation has other issues which the Post Office should ensure are not repeated”
“I have been made aware of Post Officer customers who originally used the Green Willows PO, Oakfield, Cwmbran. When this PO closed they were directed to use the PO in Commercial Street, Old Cwmbran. This PO has subsequently closed and they were re-directed to use the PO in General Rees Square, Cwmbran Town Centre. This PO is about to be re-located into the WH Smiths”.
“Therefore within a few years, these customers have had 4 changes of Post Office. In addition to this being confusing to your elderly customers; the move to WH Smith, which is located in the centre of the largest pedestrian/traffic free shopping centre in Wales, will mean disabled customers being ‘dropped’ a substantial distance the Post Office because of the perimeter positioning of bus stops and taxi ranks”.
“I have sought confirmation from the Post Office that this situation is not repeated”.
William Graham JP, AM
CHIEF WHIP, PARTY CHAIRMAN AND EUROPEAN SPOKESMAN
Email – William.Graham@Wales.gov.uk