RODBOURNE Cheney Post Office could be moved under new plans to extend its opening times for an extra forty-seven hours a week.

A six-week consultation has now opened asking residents for their thoughts on the plans, which would see the Post Office leave its current home in Whitworth Road to the nearby Co-op, where it would open as a modern main-style branch with significantly longer opening hours.

Will Russell, Regional Network Manager said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Rodbourne Cheney and we are confident 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, the largest in the history of the Post Office and makes a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

The new Rodbourne Cheney Post Office would have three modern serving positions. There would be two screened positions, which would be open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm.

There would also be a Post Office service point at the retail counter, offering selected Post Office products and services, during the supermarket’s opening hours, from Monday to Saturday, 7pm to 10pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

This would offer customers an extra 47 hours of Post Office services every week including all-day Sunday and Saturday afternoon. The branch would also open significantly earlier and close much later every day, making it more convenient to visit.

The proposed location is approximately 165 metres from the current site at 275 Whitworth Road, and is part of a major modernisation programme across the Post Office network designed to make it easier for customers to do business, through longer opening hours and modern open plan environments. The move would be with the current Postmaster’s agreement.

The Post Office is now inviting customers and interested parties to give their comments on the move in a six week public consultation with feedback welcome on any issues customers would like considered before a final decision is taken on this proposal. The consultation closes on June 232015.

Submissions can be made during the consultation by Freepost Your Comments to Post Office Ltd, via e-mail to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the Customer Helpline: 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55. Customers can also share their views on the proposed move with an online questionnaire postofficeviews.co.uk – branch code 126137