TWO WEEKS LEFT TO SAVE OUR POST OFFICES

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 30th Jul 2008

Newcastle North Parliamentary spokesman Ron Beadle (far right) with Newburn councillors Mike Curthoys and Mike Lynch outside Walbottle Post Office, which is set to close

LOCAL residents have just two weeks left to have their say on the future of Newcastle's Post Offices.

Nine Post Offices across the city are facing the axe as part of the Labour Government's closure programme that will see 2,500 branches shut.

In July Post Office Ltd announced a six-week consultation with local residents about the closure programme. The consultation ends on AUGUST 11.

The branches facing closure are:

:: Clayton Road

:: Howard Street

:: Kenton Road

:: Union Society

:: Walkerville

:: Brunswick Village

:: Garden Village

:: Walbottle

:: West Denton

Already, hundreds of people have signed the Liberal Democrat petition to keep these Post Offices open.

Ron Beadle, Newcastle North Parliamentary spokesman, said: "We've had an excellent response to our petition and it shows how much people value their local Post Office.

"However, it is also important that residents take part in the consultation and tell Post Office Ltd how important their branch is to their local community."

Under Labour, thousands of Post Offices have already closed and under the Conservatives 3,500 post offices were axed.

The Liberal Democrat plan to save the Post Office network would see £2 billion invested.

Liberal Democrat MP's are campaigning to stop the Government's Post Office closure programme.

Recently a motion was proposed in the House of Commons demanding the Government halt their plans to make 2,500 branches shut up shop.

Newcastle Labour MPs Doug Henderson, Nick Brown and Jim Cousins voted against the motion and backed the closure programme.

:: To sign the online Lib Dem petition please go to: http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/savenewcastlespostoffices

Alternatively contact Newcastle North Parliamentary spokesman Ron Beadle.

Write to: FREEPOST Newcastle North Liberal Democrats

Tel: 0191 421 1269

Email: ron@ronbeadle.org

Website: www.ronbeadle.org

:: To contact Post Office Ltd please see www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange or telephone 08457 22 33 44 or email consultation@postoffice.co.uk.