THE battle to secure ground floor access to Worcester's centre Post Office, when it moves to WHSmith, is not lost, according to Worcester MP Mike Foster.

His comments come after meeting with senior Royal Mail management at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth.

Mr Foster met and discussed the situation in Worcester with John Rattle, a senior Royal Mail manager.

The Post Office approved a move from its Forgate Street site to the first floor of WHSmith earlier this year, despite hundreds of objections.

Mr Foster was he was still fighting for ground floor access to ensure users who have mobility difficulties, can access the full range of post office services.

"It is clear that the battle for ground floor access is not over," he said. "I made it very clear to Royal Mail that they have a duty to get this right for those users of the service - be they elderly, disabled or mums with pushchairs. Ground floor access has always been the main bone of contention with Royal Mail's plans.

"I explained the situation that we see in Worcester's WHSmith, and how the post office consumer group Postwatch agreed with me that ground floor access is essential. I described what I consider to be the inadequate plans for first floor counters with only limited ground floor service. Royal Mail told me they wanted to get this right and I told them of the fierce opposition to the plans from my constituents.

"All along I have argued for ground floor access. It is important that the managers who made the decision to move the post office away from Foregate Street know of the problems they will create. They took the decision and I told them I thought they had got it wrong on this point. In this day and age, ground floor access should be a right not an add-on or optional extra."