Councillor calls for a new post office branch for Motherwell

Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig Councillor Nathan Wilson has said it must be a key priority for new branches to be opened in the town after the second post office closure in a 12-monthperiod within the boundaries of the council ward he represents was confirmed.

The Post Office has communicated that services are to be withdrawn from the Civic Square branch at 224 Airbles Street.

Services will stop at 12pm on Wednesday, February 14when the branch will officially close.

The nearest alternative services that have been signposted for local residents are the North Motherwell Post Office at 148 Logans Road and the Muirhouse Post Office at 349 Shields Road.

The cessation of services at the Civic Square Post Office comes less than a year after the branch at 52-54 Muir Street closed. The branch adjacent to Motherwell train station shut for the final time in May.

Councillor Wilson has written to the Post Office calling for action to ensure new postal branches can be opened and to replace the cancelled services.

The Scottish Conservative councillor said: “The removal of postal services from the branch at Airbles Street is a major blow for local post office provision.

“It represents an unwanted further reduction of available postal services after the Muir Street branch closed last year.

“I have written to the Post Office to stress that establishing new services in Motherwell must now be treated and pursued as a key priority.

“The alternative branches highlighted by the Post Office are not particularly accessible for local people living at Watsonville, the residential areas off Camp Street and North Lodge and especially forresidents who do not drive.

“It is vital for all possible steps to be considered to ensure that new Post Office services can be established in the near future.

“The significantly weakened postal offering in Motherwell South East must not be allowed to become a permanent set of affairs.”