Published: Wednesday, 29th October, 2008 5:30pm

Blind woman faces mile walk to local post office

A blind woman has to walk a mile to use a post office – even though there is one on her doorstep.

Furious customers are now backing a bid to save what they consider to be a vital community service.

Time is running out for locals who are trying to re-open the Burnbrae Avenue post office in Linwood after it was unexpectedly identified for permanent closure.

The branch is temporarily shut but the prospect of it being axed for good has angered one mum whose 37-year-old daughter Tracey finds it difficult to get around by herself.

Angry pensioner Margaret Gorman, 71 raged: 'My daughter is blind and she used to use that post office all the time.

'I won"t allow her come up to the other one on her own because it"s too dangerous.

'It"s a big inconvenience for us and for a lot of people from this end of town especially pensioners to have to travel unnecessarily.

'I think it"s a scandal that they are thinking about permanently closing it. Linwood definitely needs two post offices.'

There is only 21 days left to make your views known to Post Office chiefs and to try to get them to reverse their decision to get rid of the branch.

Angry mum Caroline Hendry takes her four-year-old daughter Abigail with her when she visit the only branch open in the town at Clippens Road.

She said: 'I am backing the campaign to save the post office for Linwood.

'There are a lot of mums with young children and it is wrong for them to have to come all the way to the Clippens Road post office when they have one right on their doorstep already. It should reopen.'

The branch at Burnbrae Avenue has been closed for more than a year but many locals were confident it would reopen after the Post Office assured Linwood residents last December that the closure was only temporary.

It was not listed as an office marked for closure during the current review programme which ended at the beginning of September. But Post Office bosses decided to reverse their decision to close a branch in Ayr and to close the Linwood one instead.

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland said: 'I can think of no sensible reason why the decision not to close a branch in Ayr should result in the closure of the Linwood one.

'I have issued the consultation to 500 households and I would like all those who have a view on the closure to get back to me.

'I undertake to ensure that their opinions are represented to the Post Office.

'I would also recommend that as many people as possible independently put their views to the Post Office during the review period which ends on November 18.'

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