COWLEY Road’s post office could be moved into a stationery shop.

The Post Office has launched a public consultation over the plan, which it says is part of a major modernisation programme.

It means the branch would move to Honest Stationery, which is around 125m away from the existing post office.

Iffley Fields city councillor Elise Benjamin said: “I welcome the fact that the Post Office is doing a proper consultation and that they are not proposing we lose the branch.”

The new branch is expected to have increased opening hours, from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays. This would be an extra 12 hours a week.

Post Office regional network manager for England South, Will Russell, said: “We understand how important having a post office is to residents in Oxford and we are confident this new modern post office service will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future.

“This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office, and marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

The Post Office has pledged that every service available at the existing branch will be relocated to the new one – with the addition of car tax renewal.

City councillor for St Clements Bev Clack said: “The old post office was pretty much next to Honest Stationery, and in some ways it is probably more convenient for people because it will be in the middle of Cowley Road.”

Last year the Post Office announced that Kidlington’s branch would move into a nearby Co-op, while Witney’s branch has recently moved into a WHSmith.

To have a say on the proposals, email comments@postoffice.co.uk or call 08457 223344.