Lewes MP Norman Baker has bombarded Royal Mail chiefs with a litany of complaints.

He claims the Royal Mail had failed to keep a pledge to reopen a post office in the Cliffe area of Lewes.

And the MP criticised bosses for closing local post offices, withdrawing second deliveries and box collections and delivery failures at local businesses.

Mr Baker, who is the Lib Dem's front bench environment spokesman, said the proposal to shift mail by road rather than rail would increase congestion and pollution.

He said the closure of three post offices in Lewes, leaving only one town centre branch, in the High Street, was unacceptable.

Ten post offices in his constituency had been earmarked for closure, even though a petition had been signed by more than 10,000 people.

He said: "We all rely on the Royal Mail for a range of services and closing post offices and slashing deliveries is hitting local residents hard.

"I fail to understand how an organisation with a large degree of monopoly, which was highly profitable, can, within the space of a couple of years, turn into such a shambles.

"The Royal Mail needs to get its act together fast."

Mr Baker said scrapping sending mail by train would result in 30.5 million more lorry miles a year and release an extra 15,000 tonnes of pollutants.

He said: "I want to see the Royal Mail start polishing their now tarnished environmental reputation by restoring rail mail."

Monday July 14, 2003