A CLOSURE programme for one in every three urban post offices in Worcestershire and Herefordshire will begin as early as next January after winning the overwhelming support of MPs.

The House of Commons voted by 271 to 170 to approve a £210m compensation package, which will allow Consignia to axe a total of around 3,000 outlets across the country - a third of the urban network.

The two counties have 93 urban post offices - with around 31 now set to be closed under the Government and Consignia's "reinvention" programme.

Trade Minister Stephen Timms last night insisted there was no alternative to the move as there is not enough business to sustain the present number of outlets.

But he did promise a public consultation on every single closure proposal, and that 95 per cent of people would remain within one mile of a post office.

"This programme is vital to ensure that the post office can maintain an effective network, to ensure that the network can offer attractive prospects to sub-postmasters and to improve services for customers," he said.

The consumer group Postwatch said it accepted there were too many urban post offices competing for customers.

Consignia's executive director, Alan Barrie, said the first post offices earmarked for closure would be named in January.