The Postal Network

The Post Office Network is changing.
Post Offices play a vital role in the community, especially in rural areas but people's habits are changing. As new ways of collecting benefits and communicating with family and friends are emerging, the Post Office network must adapt to these changes.
On this page I will try to keep track of the challenges the network is facing and what the government is doing to ensure that a sustainable Post Office network is maintained.

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Future for Post Office Announced
Fri, 15 Dec 2006

Andy Reed MP welcomed the announcement by Alistair Darling MP on the future of the Post Office in the Commons yesterday. Andy said "At last we now have a plan for the changing face of the Post Office Network. The Post Office could not sustain the increasing losses from fewer and fewer people using the Post Office. Like everybody else this organisation needs to adapt to the new way people shop and receive their benefits. I welcome this statement because it is realistic and strikes the right balance. It maintains a viable network across the country yet does not require unrealistic levels of taxpayers money to prop up Post Offices that people do not use. Hopefully this will breathe life into the remaining 12,500 Post Offices and give them a better future. It was also good news that the successor to the Card Account was announced. Again this gives some certainty about 2010 and beyond. Like all other small businesses Post Offices will have to continue to adapt to greater competition and changes in our lifestyles and I have been really impressed by the local Post Mater's & Mistresses who understand this and relish the challenge. I know there are many people who would love to see a much bigger network, but we have to take decisions which are based on reality not some unrealistic utopia. In opposition it would be too easy to just call for keeping open all Post Offices - but those who argue such a crude case must say EXACTLY how much taxpayers money they are willing to spend to keep them open.

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Post Office Card Accounts

This is an issue that I have been lobbying the minister, James Plaskitt, on. Thanks to such pressure, the Government has decided that it will continue with a new account after 2010. It will be available nationally and customers will be eligible for the account on the same basis as they are now. For more about the government's commitment to replacing the Post Office card account, please read Alistair Darling's recent statement:

Please read the following links for more information: