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<p>The Government has committed nearly £2 billion since 2010 to maintain a network
of at least 11,500 branches and to protect and modernise the network by 2018, securing
its long-term sustainable future. The Post Office is continuing to meet strict access
criteria that see, for example, 99% of the population living within three miles of
a Post Office outlet.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Post Office is also modernising
and improving its national network, with thousands of branches benefiting from investment
under the Government funded Network Transformation programme. To date over 3,300 post
offices have already converted, to the new Local and Main models, delivering benefits
to customers such as much longer opening hours and improved branch environments. In
total, these modernised branches are providing over 85,000 additional opening hours
a week; ensuring customers can access Post Office services at a time convenient to
them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Additionally, where a post office is “the last
shop in the community”, which is the case in many rural communities, that branch is
designated as a Community Branch, and is able to access and benefit from the £20 million
Government funded Community Branch Fund.</p><p> </p>
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