NZ Post has responded to criticism over its decision to close the staffed Sockburn counter on 10 November, as residents petition against what they say is the continued loss of postal services in western Christchurch.

The company also confirmed its Christchurch Central store would close the same day, with services moving to a new NZ Post Hub on Moorhouse Avenue opening on 11 November.

PO Box services will remain at the Sockburn site, but customers wanting counter services will need to travel elsewhere.

The decision follows growing concern about the loss of NZ Post services across western and southwestern Christchurch, including previous reductions in Burnham, Templeton, Hei Hei, Ilam and Wigram.

A petition calling for NZ Post to reverse the Sockburn decision was launched after local resident Luke Chandler discovered a notice inside the centre advising customers that staffed services would end.

The Sockburn site served residents and businesses across a large part of western and southwestern Christchurch and was accessible by several bus routes, Chandler told Chris Lynch Media on Thursday.

“Distance is not the same as accessibility. Western Christchurch deserves better,” he said.

Community advocate Cody Cooper said the Sockburn facility had been upgraded only about three or four years ago, and questioned why there appeared to have been no wider public consultation before the decision was made.

Directing people to Moorhouse Avenue represented a significant additional journey, particularly for residents travelling from areas such as Templeton, Cooper said.

NZ Post general manager consumer Sarah Sandoval said the decision to close Sockburn followed consultation with staff, and was part of a wider review of the company’s retail network.

“We looked closely at how customers are using services across Christchurch to inform our planning,” Sandoval said.

“Bringing services together in our new Hubs will allow us to offer a wider range of services in one place and better meet the needs of Christchurch customers based on how they are sending, receiving and accessing services.”

Customers could continue to use NZ Post Hornby, 3km from Sockburn, Canterbury University, 3.5km away, Riccarton, 4.2km away, Avonhead, 5.5km away, and Halswell, just over 7km away, Sandoval said. Sending services were also available online.

The Moorhouse Avenue Hub would be the second in Christchurch after Papanui, which opened in June, and would offer the full range of NZ Post services in a larger location with more parking, about 1km from the Christchurch Central store, she said.

Two hubs had already opened in Auckland, with Palmerston North set to follow in November and more locations planned across the country.

Customers had been advised of the changes through in-store posters, and Christchurch Central PO Box customers had been written to directly, Sandoval said.

“Customers will be able to access their mail from the new Hub from 11 November, with no change to their PO Box number, address or key.”