Communities affected by the proposals can have their say and speak to representatives of the Post Office Network and Post Watch at a meeting tomorrow. (22/07)

The event, from 7pm at the Winslow Centre, has been organised by Buckinghamshire Community Action.

Several residents in both villages are worried about the proposals, which they fear will affect vulnerable residents in rural areas.
Roger Harlock is on the management committee for the sub-post office in Twyford.

Members were due to hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss what action it could take.

He said: "We are opposed to the thought of the post office being closed and I know many of our people will be going to the meeting in Winslow.

"Closing the post office would be a bad move for elderly people in our village and we feel aggrieved they want to close it. Since July last year the post office has increased in business quite dramatically."

He added the limited bus service from the village meant post offices in nearby towns and villages would be difficult to access.

Michael Hunt, chief executive of Buckinghamshire Community Action, said although only 20 people had registered to attend tomorrow's meeting, more were expected to turn up on the night.

He said: "We ran one of these meetings in Amersham and we had 25 to 30 people register, but had nearly 70 people turn up on the night. The advice we have been given from Post Watch is that petitions, although helpful, are not always the best form of response. They want to hear from individual people as to why they don't want their post office to close.

"One of our main concerns is some of the areas within Buckinghamshire are poorly serviced by public transport. There are some vulnerable groups which have no means of getting to another post office."

A six-week public consultation period on the proposals was launched last week and Post Office Ltd will consider people's views before making a final decision on which post office branches will close.

Post Office Ltd plans to close 71 branches in the Bucks, Cambs, Herts, Beds and south Lincs area, leaving a network of 452 branches and 17 new mobile or temporary post offices.

Views on the closure programme can be sent to Laura Tarling, Network Development Manager, C/o National Consulation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM, or telephone 08457 223344.