"Changing lifestyles" have had an effect on post office use

Two in Barry and Splott, Cardiff, which had been earmarked for closure have been saved as a result of feedback from a six-week consultation.

But, as a result of a further review by Post Office Ltd, the Perthcelyn branch in Mountain Ash is now under threat.

Post Office said 92.9% of customers in the area would not be affected.

The first closures will take place in February and all by 2009.

The closure plans for 31 branches across the region were first revealed in October provoking fierce opposition from politicians and residents.

During the public consultation, the Post Office said it received 2,700 responses and attended 20 meetings to hear the concerns of customers.

The region will be left with a total of 154 branches but the Post Office insists 99.7% of the area's population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within a mile of an alternative.

CLOSURE LIST Bridgend: Rhoslanog, Parc Newydd Cardiff: Salisbury Rd, Cathays; Evansfield Rd, Llandaff North; Newport Rd, St Mellons; Sanquahar St, Splott; Cowbridge Rd/Neville St, Canton Cynon Valley: Gadlys Rd, Aberdare; Merthyr Rd, Llwydcoed; Glancynon, Abercynon; Glyn Gwyn St, Miskin, Mountain Ash; Penderyn Comm Centre, Penderyn Merthyr: Chapel St, Abercanaid; Dan-y-Twyn, Quakers Yard; Station Sq, Merthyr Vale Rhymney Valley: Bristol Terr, Brithdir; Jerusalem St, Rhymney Pontypridd area: Swan St, Llantrisant; Cardiff Rd, Nantgarw; Graigwen Rd, Graigwen; Hopkinstown Rd, Hopkinstown; Leyshon St, The Graig; Tynybryn Rd, Tonyrefail; Trehafod Rd, Pontypridd Rhondda: Ynyswen Rd, Abergorky; Commercial St, Blaenllechau; Miskin Rd, Trealaw; Court St, Blaenclydach; PO at Spar, Llewellyn St, Pentre Vale of Glamorgan: Pill St, Cogan Source: Post Office Ltd

Concerns about the high numbers of elderly and vulnerable customers living close to both the High Street, Barry and Splott Road, Cardiff branches were among the reasons why it was decided not to close them, said the Post Office.

In Barry, residents raised concerns about the long walking distances to the neighbouring offices, the hilly terrain, parking constraints and the possible adverse effect on the local economy.

There were also worries about the ability of neighbouring offices to cope with additional customers.

Transport issues and the possible impact on local businesses were some of the reasons given for the u-turn on the Splott branch.

The Post Office said there was a "pressing social need" for a branch in that location.

But in Llantrisant, the closure of the branch in Swan Street will disadvantage senior citizens in the area, said the branch's sub-postmaster Colin Cranness.

"Many of them live in complexes with no bus facilities," he said.

"It is fine them having free bus passes but first of all they have got to go up a hill to get to a bus stop.

"Access to the other offices is extremely difficult and as many of my customers wrote in their letters there is no continual pavement and it is on a main busy road which comes up through Llantrisant."

A six-week consultation period on the future of the Perthcelyn branch in Mountain Ash will commence soon.

Steve Geraty, Post Office Ltd's network development manager for Wales, said the decision to close the branches had not been taken lightly.

Support

He said: "We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation and we believe that the amended plan offers our customers across the Cardiff and Glamorgan valleys area the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future."

He also appealed to customers and businesses to support the branches that had been saved from closure in Barry and Cardiff.

Confirmation of the closures comes in the wake of an announcement that 25 branches across the Newport and Gwent Valleys area had been earmarked for closure.

Public consultation on these plans has begun.

The plans are part of a wider restructuring of Post Office services throughout the UK which will see about 2,500 branches - a fifth of those left in the UK - close by 2009.

When the announcement was made in May 2007, the then Trade Secretary Alistair Darling said there were 4m fewer customers using post offices every week in the UK than two years ago and they were losing �4m a week.

He said changing lifestyles and new technologies meant people used Post Office branches less.