Claims Royal Mail will privatise post offices

11:59am Tuesday 25th January 2005

A UNION says it has intercepted plans by Royal Mail to sell off Crown post offices.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says post offices in Lewisham High Street and Rushey Green, Catford, are under threat.

Both are directly owned by Royal Mail and the CWU believes privatisation could lead to a downgrade in services and their eventual closure.

South east London postal and counter branch secretary Mol Meade said: "The potential sell-off came to light when the prospective buyers arrived to measure up and we made management admit the buyer's interest.

"If the sell-off is agreed in principle it makes a mockery of the consultation period which has to precede any closure."

Prospective buyers are obliged to continue providing post office services for five years.

After this they can then be scrapped and Mr Meade fears this could leave customers stranded.

He said: "The post office in Greenwich closed recently and if Lewisham and Catford go then the nearest services would be Bromley, New Cross Gate or Woolwich."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "Post Office Ltd is carrying out a review of all its directly-managed branches, as previously announced nationally.

"No decisions on the future of Lewisham and Catford post offices have been taken at this time and Post Office Ltd would like to assure all our customers in Lewisham it is business as usual in their branch."

Liberal Democrat councillor for Lewisham Andrew Milton said: "A post office draws people in to the area to do their shopping and a closure can trigger a downward spiral in trade and community spirit.

"In a run-down area like Lewisham a closure can have a terrible effect."

A CWU spokesman said: "Once again the public, interested parties, the staff and the CWU do not want this vital service privatised and downgraded.

"However, knowing this opposition the Post Office is proceeding full steam ahead with this backdoor privatisation."