Local Post Office Closure

The Post Office has given notice that it wants to close its Lower Charminster branch in the Co-op store at 269 Charminster Road.

There are discrepancies and gaps in the data used in their decision.

At least one of the Post Office documents has out of date information - the "Network Change Programme Area Plan Proposal" describes the branch as being in the Alldays Store.

As everybody in the area knows, the Alldays Store was taken over and modernised by the Co-op several years ago.

This throws doubts on the accuracy of all the other data.

Here's a copy of the erroneous section:

In its "Branch Access Report" (shown below) compared to the other branches which are not threatened with closure, there are glaring errors and omissions:

• Road distance from alternative branches is underestimated. Winton branch is not 0.1 of a mile from Lower Charminster Road branch. The actual distance is approaching a mile.
• Terrain between branches is not mentioned (actually a hill)
• Bus company ignored (actually Yellow Buses)
• Bus routes ignored (actually there are several)
• Bus service frequency ignored (actually frequent)
• Location of bus stop wrongly stated as 200 metres (actually just across the road)
• Disabled access to bus ignored (actually the same as the other branches)
• Free/concessionary bus service for elderly and disabled ignored (actually the same as the other branches)

The omissions make the branch seem much less accessible than it actually is. Has this data been deliberately omitted to make the closure decision easier? Or as in the case of the "Alldays - Co-op" confusion is it simply a slapdash approach which shows that the Post Office is simply concerned with closures and not with making soundly based decisions regarding their impact on local people?

In its own figures (which may well be out of date) the Post Office says the branch deals with up to 1500 people a week. At Christmas time in particular, this number is greatly increased. Many of the people who depend on this branch are elderly, disabled or young parents with children who may not wish to push a pram or pushchair up the hill to Charminster.

What can you do?

If you think this branch should be saved you can take part in a survey at the www.directenquiries.com website. You'll need to register with the website to do so - but you stand the chance of winning £100.

Go to the Post Office website and see the documents on their own consultation page. From there you can email their consultation team with your views. You can also phone them on 08457 22 33 44 .

Here is a direct link to the Accessibility Report.

Here is a direct link to the Network Change Programme Area Plan Proposal.

You can express your views in a letter. Just address the envelope simply to The National Consultation Team, Post Office Ltd, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM". No stamp needed. Give details of the likely adverse effect of the closure.

You can send an email to consultation@postoffice.co.uk

You can contact your local councillors via our contact page.

Here is a copy of the Branch Access Report showing the omissions mentioned above:

Branch Access Report