THE Royal Mail has been accused of letting down St John’s Wood residents after it announced plans to close its delivery office in Lodge Road and relocate to Kilburn.

The postal company will shut the sorting office (pictured) on April 30 and deliveries for customers in the area will then be dealt with two miles away in Coventry Close. A new enquiry office will also be opened just under a mile away in Blenheim Terrace for customers who have mail to collect.

But London Assembly member and Marylebone resident Murad Qureshi said: “I’m very concerned about the effect it will have on deliveries to all residential homes in the area.

“There hasn’t been any consultation so we haven’t heard if they have done any impact studies or been given the chance to hear other suggestions from residents.

“I’m sure residents could have made some useful contributions. It’s good to listen to the people in the area sometimes.

“It’s not a good sign of how the Royal Mail is going. These places have served the local community well – so why change them?”

The Royal Mail has told residents that it does not expect any impact on delivery times to its customers.

St John’s Wood delivery office manager Bruce Rowe said: “Extensive work has been carried out to extend and redecorate Kilburn delivery office to provide better facilities for our NW8 and NW6 customers as well as our staff. We have been talking to our people about the move since last summer and there will be no job losses as a result of this move.

“We will also be retaining an enquiry office in St John’s Wood for customers who have mail to collect.”

The new enquiry office will be open from 7am to 2.30pm Monday to Saturday with late opening until 7pm on Wednesdays.

Elsewhere, plans have been submitted to turn the former Royal Mail delivery office in Lanhill Road, Maida Vale, into a five-storey building with flats. The delivery office was closed earlier this year with residents left to go more than a mile away in Harrow Road for the nearest office.

The plans, submitted by the Dolphin Square Foundation housing charity, would see 18 flats built on the site consisting of 14 affordable homes and four private units. The application will now be determined by Westminster Council.