SMITH COMMENTS ON ST ANDREWS POST OFFICE CLOSURE

3.25.26pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 9th May 2007

Iain Smith MSP has added his voice to those protesting about the St Andrews main post office being moved to WH Smith. Mr Smith, who is pressing for a debate in the Scottish Parliament, has highlighted the concerns of his constituents in a letter to the Managing Director of Post Office Ltd as follows:

'Many of my constituents have expressed grave fears about this proposal. They are worried that the available services will be cut, that the opening-hours will be cut, that the queues will lengthen and that access for disabled people will be more difficult, involving the negotiation of a car-park to reach an obscure back-entrance. I share these concerns.

'If, despite the many voices raised in protest, this unwelcome change does take place then it is essential that there is no reduction of service when the Post Office moves to WH Smith. Will all the Crown Services currently available at South Street be provided for at least the same number of hours? Can the shop actually cope with the large numbers of customers, remembering that there are frequently long queues in the present Post Office. Given the space constraints in WH Smith and the difficulties of parking in South Street will the Post Office now provide some of these services, such as vehicle excise duty and passport application forms, at Pipeland Road sub-post office as well as at South Street as has been requested? Finally there is the question of disabled access; the current post office has a ramp at the front door. I understand that WH Smith, which has a stepped frontage, has some sort of rear entrance which disabled people can use but access is through a car-park. This is not acceptable; how do the Post Office and WH Smith propose to ensure access for those in wheelchairs and with pushchairs is as easy and as obvious as at the present office?'

ENDS