Woman loses post office legal bid

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 790223.stm

A pensioner who went to the High Court claiming government moves to close post offices discriminated against disabled people has lost her fight.

Two judges in London refused a judicial review challenge by severely disabled Judy Brown, from Hastings, East Sussex.

Mrs Brown accused two departments of acting unlawfully - Work and Pensions and Business Enterprise.

But Lord Justice Scott Baker and Lord Justice Aikens found no abuse of power or breach of duty by either department.

Lord Justice Aikens said the local post office had long had a place in the affection of the British public and most people's lives had been touched by closures.

"However, the advent of modern technology, the changing habits of the public and the fact that the Post Office network has made vast losses for years have made closures inevitable," he said.

Paying bills

The judge also said that, even if they had found in Mrs Brown's favour, it would have served little purpose because of delay in bringing her case.

Post Office closures began 18 months ago and had been completed in Sussex and almost completed through the UK, the judges said.

The court heard Mrs Brown uses her branch for banking, paying bills, shopping, correspondence, and sending presents to her grandchildren.

Mrs Brown, of Rock-A-Nore Road, had said the closures, which included her local Old Town branch in Hastings, discriminated against her and other disabled people and were against laws requiring public bodies to promote equality for the disabled.

She was unable to visit more distant post offices.

Her court action was aimed at making sure future decisions were made fairly and lawfully, rather than stopping closures or reversing previous decisions.