Britain plans to cut post office branches

London -- The British government plans to eliminate 2,500 post offices.

Deciding which post offices in the network of 14,000 should get the ax is expected to take about 18 months, The Telegraph reported.

The system loses $8 million a week, and officials say some branches see fewer than 100 customers, the London newspaper said.

While the offices with fewer customers are the most likely to be closed, sources told the newspaper that branches in remote thinly populated areas are likely to be protected. They also would be exempted from a rule that most of a branch's customers should live within six miles.

Legislators accused the Labor government of delaying any announcement about post office cuts until after the recent local and regional elections.

The Department of Trade and Industry said it plans to provide a $300 million annual subsidy for branches that cannot break even as part of $3.4 billion in investment.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International