PO BOSSES SAY "NO" TO OUTREACH SERVICE FOR CARHARRACK

11.00.00am GMT Tue 9th Feb 2010

Julia with post office petitions outside the Houses of Parliament

Post Office Ltd have refused to introduce an outreach branch in Carharrack - claiming it would be too popular.

Julia Goldsworthy MP had urged Post Office bosses to introduce an outreach service to Carharrack after older residents told her they were struggling to access alternative branches in Lanner or St Day. She asked them to copy the example of Lanner Post Office, which provides an outreach service one morning a week to Carnkie, near Four Lanes.

But the company has now turned down the suggestion, claiming that a part time service in Carharrack would not be able to cope with demand. They claimed it would undermine the viability of other nearby branches as customers would transfer back to the service in the village.

Julia today branded the decision "illogical" - and said it raised questions over why Carharrack Post Office was closed in the first place. She said: "It's Alice in Wonderland logic to justify turning this proposal down on the basis that it would be too successful.

"If Post Office Ltd thinks the service would be too popular, it raises serious questions over their decision making. I recall that when local people in Carharrack were campaigning to keep the post office open, they were told it would not be viable to do so. Yet now we are told it would not be viable to have an outreach service, because it would have too much demand."

Julia said that for older people living in Carharrack, a trip to Lanner or St Day post office was a big undertaking. She said: "For someone in their eighties who can't drive, a bus journey with an hour's wait can be a big ordeal.

"An outreach post office service would make their life much easier, and would come at almost no extra cost to the Post Office. Lanner Post Office already has the equipment to deliver the service and would be happy to do so. Why can't bosses at Post Office Ltd just let them?

"I intend to write once again to Post Office Ltd and ask them to reconsider their decision on the grounds that it is illogical, bizarre and massively inconveniences anyone who struggles to make it to the alternative branches on offer."