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Last Updated: Tuesday, 29 January 2008, 12:33 GMT
Post office branch closures named
Rural post office
Some rural post offices provide the only access to cash in their area
The Post Office has named 44 branches it wants to close in Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex under plans to shut 2,500 nationwide by the end of 2008.

The Post Office said 275 branches would remain open across the counties and four new "outreach" services would replace counters in some communities.

A public consultation on the plans ends on 10 March.

About 99.5% of people in the area will face no changes or will remain within a mile of a branch, the Post Office said.

The government said four million fewer people were using the current 14,000-strong network each week than two years ago.

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Ministers say cuts are needed as the business has been losing �4m a week.

Gary Herbert, the Post Office's network development manager for the region said taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is "always very difficult".

"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."

He said rural parts of the community - where 34% of the population live - would be served by a total of 118 branches, of which 66 provide the only access to cash in their communities.

About 7% of people live less than one mile by road distance from a nearest alternative branch while urban areas would be served by 157 branches, he continued.

"We believe these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward for Post Office services in Surrey, Berkshire and West Sussex."

There have been several regional announcements about Post Office closures across the UK since 2 October.



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