KRAMER ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT PLANS TO RELOCATE POST OFFICE SERVICES AT WH SMITH

1.00.48pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Apr 2007

Plans to close the Crown Post Office in Richmond and move the services to WH Smith have prompted MP Susan Kramer to ask for more information about how it would work.

Susan Kramer said:

" I think it is important that we find out more about the range of services that are going to be on offer under this scheme.

"Will the staff be experienced enough to deal with the range of requests from the public? I think the Post Office should offer incentives to current staff to transfer to the new location.

"In some cases, Hammersmith is one, the experiment has led to complaints from the public about the quality of staffing.

"Will the space allocated within WH Smith be sufficient to meet the demands of customers?

"I would rather we had a Post Office service in the town centre than risk losing the service from the town.

"I would urge Richmond residents to get involved in the consultation when it comes. It will last six weeks and be held between now and July.

"The Post Office has promised to keep people informed about how to get involved."

"My party has a costed plan to inject significant growth into the Post Office network. The decline of the Post Office network should not be seen as inevitable."

Ends