Last updated 20:35, Thursday, 17 April 2008

AROUND 500 people have signed a petition to save Workington’s Vulcans Lane Post Office from closure.

Jean Wilson, 73, of Brayton Street, uses the branch to collect her pension and buy postage stamps.

Two weeks ago she started the petition and has already gathered 500 names.

Mrs Wilson said: “If it closes the only alternative is Oxford Street and there is not a lot of room and no postbox.

“I went in yesterday and it was packed out to the door. On the petition, people from all over have signed it. It will be awful if it closes.

“Vulcans Lane is a very friendly and helpful post office and the staff are lovely.”

Sub-postmistress Gwen Cox said: “Most people have been signing the petition.

“I knew they would because the only alternative is Oxford Street and it is not convenient. They haven’t even got a postbox. The closest postbox is at the end of Murray Road.

“People have been coming in and asking if there is anything to sign.”

Post Office Ltd wants to shut branches at Brigham, Broughton Moor, Camerton, Crosby, Grasslot, Hayton near Aspatria, High Harrington and Workington’s Vulcans Lane.

At Crosby, 11-year-old Josh Melvin started a petition to save the Garborough Close branch.

He has been knocking on people’s doors collecting signatures.

There is also a petition in the Post Office, which sub-postmistress Susan Burford said everyone is signing when they come in.

Mrs Burford said: “It is going very well. Everyone is signing the petition and writing to the MP and the Post Office. I am really pleased about the support.”

Over 100 people have signed a petition at Hayton Post Office and there is also a petition at Brigham Post Office.

Workington MP Tony Cunningham is continuing his fight to save as many Post Offices as possible.

Last Friday, he met with people from the Post Office to discuss the proposed closures.

Mr Cunningham said: “I have put to them all of the issues that have been raised with me.

“I have sent them away with a whole series of issues which they have promised to investigate and get back to me. We spent a long time going through it and they wrote it all down.”

Meanwhile, the Post Office has snubbed a request from Cumbria County Council to extend the consultation period on its plans to close 35 branches in the county.

Consultation will end as planned on May 27. Closures will start in July.

Gary Strong, the county council cabinet member for community development, condemned the decision and urged the public to object before the deadline.

He said: “Communities should have had more time to fight to keep their post offices. The Post Office made it clear that there’s no room for emotional pleas in this consultation. It is about the factual evidence.”

“If bus routes have changed, new housing developments have been built or there are other factors the Post Office has not taken account of, then it is really important that members of the public respond to the consultation. Even one letter could make all the difference.”

To respond to the consultation write to: Post Office Ltd, Freepost Consultation Team (no stamp required) or email consultation@postoffice.co.uk