Andrew Western has spoken out in Parliament about the importance of having Post Office services – in isolated communities within city regions – like Stretford and Urmston. It comes after Andrew reached out to local residents, to ask how they had been impacted by the closure of the post offices in Partington and Woodsend Road.

The Stretford and Urmston MP, stood up in Parliament, to make the point that Post Office services are just as important in communities that are isolated within city regions, as they are to those in the countryside.

Partington had been without a Post Office since August, 2023.

Discussing the closure, during the adjournment debate (which took place on Thursday 8 February), Andrew Western said: “This has had a significant impact on many of my constituents, because while Partington is a great place in which to live and an area that I am proud to serve, there is no doubt that it is an isolated community.”

He went onto explain that the services that Partington Post Office used to provide – such as banking facilities, the collection and delivery of mail, and the ability to pay bills – are now incredibly difficult for residents to access.

People in Partington are now in the 1% of Post Office customers whose nearest branch is more than three miles away.

After acknowledging that there is a Government grant in place to subsidise Post Office services in isolated and rural communities, Andrew questioned if that grant was sufficient and if it is reaching the right places.

Before the debate, Andrew reached out to residents, both in Partington and around Woodsend Road (where the Post Office closed last Summer), asking them to share the personal impact that the closures had had on them.

In the Chamber, Andrew shared some of these real-life examples.

One resident, aged 77, told Andrew that conversations with Post Office staff were the only human interaction he had. The gentleman in question had to start relying on Partington’s one ATM to access cash. However, he was recently mugged just after using the machine, because criminals know that vulnerable people have no other place to go in Partington to withdraw money. He is now understandably scared to use the ATM again. Instead, he has to rely on a friend to drive him to the closest Post Office, which is several miles away.

Another resident, aged 89, described the loss of the Post Office as “devastating” to her independence. She explained how, in the past, she used to walk to her local branch, but now her family have to travel over from Oldham, to then drive her all the way to the Sale Post Office for her to access the services she needs.

A third constituent explained that, following the closure of her local branch on Woodsend Road, she was now spending £20 per week on taxis to go to her nearest Post Office.

Andrew Western said: “I hope I have highlighted the importance of post offices to isolated communities.

“When residents lose these services, the impact can be devastating as they often support incredibly vulnerable customers.

“I’d like to thank everybody affected by the Post Office closures in Partington and Woodsend Road who took the time to contact me and share their stories. I am pleased the Minister has had the chance to hear them today. I hope they help him to push for the changes needed to support our Post Office network moving forward and ensure those services are retained in isolated communities.”