Kent could lose 58 post office branches under the plans

Kent was one of the first areas of the country to see a six-week consultation get under way on Monday, alongside East Yorks and the East Midlands.

Kent County Council has already launched a campaign against the move, urging residents to "use or lose" their post office services.

The government has said cuts are needed because the network loses �4m weekly.

Four million fewer people were using post offices each week than two years ago and losses had risen from �2 million a week in 2005 to �4 million a week last year, the government added.

It also pointed out that, on average, fewer than 16 people a week used the 800 smallest rural post offices, at a cost of �17 per visit to the taxpayer.

'Damaging process'

Conservative MP for North Thanet Roger Gale has said the programme is "an exercise based upon numbers that does not recognise the needs of real people".

North Thanet could see five post office branches closed under the plans.

Mr Gale said: "To shut the post office in Minnis Bay would rip the heart out of a community that is elderly and separated from the next nearest post office in Station Road, Birchington, by a railway line, a narrow and dangerous road and a steep hill."

On Monday, Kent councillor Roger Gough said: "This is a damaging and rushed process, which will cause great harm to Kent's urban and rural communities."

And Liberal Democrat MEP for Kent, Sharon Bowles, said people in the county were facing "a post office crisis".

She said: "Post offices are a necessity for thousands of people in Kent. They provide an important link to the local community and to key services."

Gary Herbert, Post Office Ltd's Network Development Manager for Kent said: "Taking the decision to close any branch is always very difficult and we know will cause concern to many of our customers.

"We want to ensure that everyone who uses, relies on or has any concern with Post Office services is both fully aware of the proposed changes, and able to give views on them."

The 58 branches earmarked for closure are: