THE BATTLE lines have now been drawn in the fight to save Newport's Passport Office.

And while we welcome yesterday's last-minute extension of the consultation deadline which was due to end tomorrow, we are concerned that this may be just a face-saving exercise.

The big guns in the fight to save the passport office have once more stated their case. And the arguments have been well put by all.

This is an issue which has united politicians across the parties as they can all see the potential damage to Newport and its hinterland if the city's passport office, the only one in Wales, is to close.

The Tory leader of Newport City Council, Councillor Matthew Evans has been as vocal in his arguments against the proposed closure, as the Labour MPs for Newport Jessica Morden and Paul Flynn, and National Assembly First Minister Carwyn Jones.

The arguments, as we have seen at first hand, have the support of the 27,000 plus people in this area, who signed the South Wales Argus petition against the plans.

And it has to be said that this is not just an emotional response. The economic arguments against this proposal are sound and, in our view, must have some bearing on the decision-making process. If they do not then the whole process will have been a sham.

Paul Flynn was quite right last week when he suggested in the House of Commons that the decision should be delayed until after the publication of the government's economic impact assessment.

That report is still not forthcoming.

Today Newport City Council reveals the findings of its own economic impact assessment and it makes grim reading.

The report, commissioned by the council and Newport Unlimited and carried out by consultant AECOM, concludes that the closure of the city's passport office would cost Newport a massive £37m in lost future employment investment, direct spending in shops and because of the impact of the immediate loss of 300 jobs.

This is a huge price for one city to pay just to help the passport service save money nationwide and is surely an argument which cannot be ignored.

The decision to propose closing the passport office here was an arbitrary one which cannot be justified.

It would blight Newport city centre for years to come, exacerbating existing economic problems and creating yet more for the future.

The chief executive of the passport service Sarah Rapson must now realise that the impact of this proposal means it cannot be considered a price worth paying.