HALF of the 16 urban post offices proposed for closure two months ago will shut permanently next month, it was announced yesterday.

They will join nine more which have closed their doors in the last six months - and another eight offices remain under threat.

The latest round of closures will affect Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport.

They are the latest in a nationwide restructuring programme which will mean a third of urban offices are to close.

Post Office Ltd say that since direct debit benefit and pension payments were introduced last year, too many offices are competing for too few customers.

There are 130 post offices in Gwent, 73 of which are urban offices. Of those, eight offices in Torfaen, five in Newport, two in Blaenau Gwent and two in Monmouthshire have closed or will do within the month.

Eight further offices in Ebbw Vale, Tredegar and Newport finished a period of consultation on Monday and the results are currently being assessed. If their closure is announced, Gwent will have lost 25 urban offices since June last year - more than a third.

Dave Barrett is head of the urban Post Office network in Wales. He said there were concerns the closures would have on pensioners. "We firmly believe the area to be well served by post office branches - indeed there are a number of branches near to those branches which are to close."

Mr Barrett reaffirmed a commitment that 95% of customers would continue to have access to a post office within one mile.

He said: "The majority of our customers still currently reside within half a mile of their post office branch."

South Wales East AM Mike German has campaigned against closures. He said: "The kickback will be that other local shops will close and it will have a dreadful effect on community life throughout Gwent."

Closing

The following branches are to close permanently: Blenheim Square, Cwmbran, on February 4 Pontrhydyrun, Cwmbran, on February 5 Stanhope Street, Abergavenny, on February 4 Caerleon Road, Newport, on February 2 Gaskell Street, Newport, on February 3 Stow Park, Newport, on February 4 Branches in Portskewett, Caldicot and Sebastopol, Pontypool have been closed since last year but will not re-open.

Under threat The following branches are under threat: Malpas Road, Newport Cefn Golau, Tredegar Badminton Grove, Ebbw Vale Beaufort Hill, Ebbw Vale Garnlydan, Ebbw Vale Rassau, Ebbw Vale Waunlwyd, Ebbw Vale Willowtown, Ebbw Vale.

Closed The following branches have already closed: Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran Llantarnam, Cwmbran Greenwillows, Cwmbran Freeholdland, Pontypool High Street, Pontypool Bloomfield Road, Blackwood Fields Park Road, Newport Royal Oak, Newport Pontywaun.