THE Post Office has been slammed after claiming petitions in support of local branches facing the axe had 'no real weight'.

The company said the decision on whether to shut any of East Lancashire's 24 threatened post offices would be made on the rational for each closure'.

Instead they want people to write individual letters to them.

Bosses made the comments just seven days before the six-week consultation on the future of county's post offices is due to end.

Campaigners bidding to save their local branches have slammed the stance of the Post Office, saying it had made the consultation a sham.

The Lancashire Telegraph is running a Save Our Post Offices campaign to fight the proposed cuts.

And more than 600 people have signed our online and postal petition.

In addition, campaigners in communities have collected thousands of signatures to show the massive support for the branches.

But the Post Office said that if a member of the public wanted to hand in a petition in to them it was unlikely that any manager would be available to receive it.

A spokesman for the company said: "A petition hold no real weight. The consultation is based on the rational for each closure.

"We urge people to write in with their views to the free Post Office address."

But Coun Dave Harling, who last Friday handed in a 1,200 strong petition to Blackburn Labour MP Jack Straw opposing the proposed closure of the Preston New Road branch, said the attitude of Post Office bosses was appalling'.

He added: "It shows an arrogance on their behalf. They don't care how many people are affected.

"It doesn't matter whether it is a rural post office or one like ours in town: they all matter. There is a lot of unity on this issue because people really care about their post offices.

"We have a long tradition of post offices providing a service for people but at the moments its like death by a thousand cuts.

"We will end up with very few post offices and just one in the town centre which people won't use."

Karen Heseltine, of Dall Street Residents' Association, Burnley, said she was saddened at the Post Office's lack of understanding'.

Miss Heseltine, who has collected over 800 signatures in opposition to the proposed closure of the Parliament Street branch, said: "It's outrageous because people signing these petitions might not have the time or the know how to express their views in the form of a letter.

"A petition gives everybody a voice but the Post Office just wants to ignore it."

  • Send letters in support of branches to The National Consultation Team, Post Office Ltd, Freepost.