AN OLDER people's champion has branded the consultation into proposed post office closures "seriously flawed", saying the company failed to disclose vital information.

The consultation into the planned closure of 50 branches across York, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire ended on Thursday.

Four city branches - Clifton, Fulford, Haxby Road and Micklegate - are included in the list.

On Wednesday, The Press sent a delegation to Downing Street to deliver a copy of our Cut The Closures campaign petition - now 5,500-signatures strong - to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Don Parlabean, chairman of the York Older People's Assembly, has written to members of the consultation team, criticising the way they have run the process.

Responding to the network change programme, he said: "Unsurprisingly, older people make greater use of the post office services than the population as a whole and, therefore, are affected to a greater degree by the proposed closure of branches.

"I need to draw your attention to the fact that there are over 35,000 people of pensionable age in York, representing nearly 20 per cent of the population.

"This is substantially higher than the national average. This figure is anticipated to rise to 30 per cent by 2020."

He said Post Office Ltd had failed to make public information on the number of customers currently using particular branches.

"This information, from a user perspective, is absolutely vital in deciding which - if any - sub offices should close," he said.

"Despite the fact that this information has clearly been collected, none of it has been made available in the branch access report.

"Requests were made at the public meeting held at Priory Street prior to Christmas for release of this information, but were refused on the grounds of commercial implications'.

"We would contend that this refusal, and the reasons for it, are entirely spurious.

"Since there is no intention of transferring any of the branches proposed for closure to an alternative provider, the issue of commercial implications does not apply."

Mr Parlabean said the information provided on residents' distances to their nearest branch was misleading.

He said: "One of the other factors highlighted in your proposals is that 95 per cent of the urban population should be within one mile of their nearest branch.

"Whilst all of the four branches proposed for closure in York - according to your figures - meet this criteria, the actual travel distance for any user is, of course, twice the distance quoted, since any customer would need to return home from the branch in question.

"Whilst the report quotes the level of car ownership in the respective neighbourhoods around the branches, this is quoted as for all households, and not solely for older people.

"You will be aware that this is substantially lower than the 62 to 65 per cent care ownership quoted. Indeed, of those not owning a car, nearly half are pensioner households."

He said older people would be significantly more disadvantaged than the general population on both counts.