THE Post Office has launched a six-week public consultation over plans to move its Coniston branch to a new location with double the opening hours.

The publicly-owned company has revealed it wants to relocate the sub-post office 100 metres to Hills Garage in Broughton Road.

Regional manager Suzanne Richardson said the aim was to create a modern open-plan branch which would be open for 105 hours a week and provide a wider range of services.

She said: “We understand how important having a post office is to residents in the Coniston area and we are confident that this new modern branch will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future.”

“The modernisation is part of a major investment programme to convert the post office network to new-style branches and this investment, the largest in the history of the Post Office, makes a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

Under the plans, the new branch would be open from 1am to 10pm, seven days a week.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron urged local residents to get involved in the consultation.

“The post office is a vital part of community life in Coniston and it’s extremely important that we get this right,” he said. “I want to make sure that the new service meets local needs. Please do get involved in the consultation and make sure we get the post office the village needs.”

Local residents can get involved with the consultation by checking out the website at www.postofficeviews.co.uk, calling 0845 223344 or writing to ‘FREEPOST Your Comments’. The consultation runs from 25 July to 5 September.