Vince Cable

Vincent Cable, MP, is to hold an adjournment debate on Tuesday on the issue of post codes and post towns. There is a concern at present amongst residents living in the border areas of the borough that they are classified by the Post Office with other boroughs causing great confusion, loss of identity and, sometimes, financial loss (if the post code is that of a high crime area in a neighbouring borough, this if reflected in home and car insurance). Areas affected are:

· Parts of Whitton and Heathfield, classified as Hounslow

· Residents in Twickenham Road, classified as Feltham

· Residents in the Hampton Court area, classified as East Molesey

· Hampton Wick, which has a KT, Kingston, post code.

There is a particular problem in Whitton in that Whitton has been eliminated as a post town with addresses placed in Twickenham, even though this leads to Whitton traders, in particular, losing mail. The Whitton Business Association has long campaigned on the issue and has got up a large petition to save Whitton's identity.

Vincent Cable said: "I shall be challenging the Trade and Industry Secretary, who is responsible for the Post Office, to justify the very rigid and bureaucratic approach of the Post Office. It is very difficult to change a post code or post town address even if people feel strongly and it makes little geographical sense. Now that the Post Office is supposed to be competing for business it cannot be allowed an absolute monopoly over postal decisions which suit its own convenience but no one else's."