A brand-new mobile Post Office is due to begin serving rural communities across the Inverness region, starting next month.
Operated by the Postmaster for Dingwall, the mobile unit will travel to the communities such of of Evanton, Ardross, Rosehall, Munlochy, Glenmoriston, Dochgarroch, Dores and Farr.
It will provide postal services that have been missing from smaller communities for a several years.
In addition it will provide services for the villages of Dalneigh and Hilton, until a more permenant solution is found.
The scheme is due to be rolled out, starting in Evanton, Glenmoriston and Dochgarroch on September 16. Other communities will see services start in the following weeks.
Mobile services have been used in the past to better serve communities across the Highlands.
Here is a list of locations and times where mobile services will be made available:
- Evanton Mobile Service – Tuesday 9-10.30am/Thursday 2.45-4.15pm.
- Ardross Mobile Service – Tuesday 11 – 11.30am.
- Rosehall Mobile Service – Tuesday 12.30 – 1.30pm.
- Hilton Mobile Service – Wednesday 9.30 – 11.30am.
- Farr Mobile Service – Wednesday 12 – 12.30pm.
- Dores Mobile Service – Wednesday 1.30 – 2.30pm.
- Munlochy Mobile Service – Wednesday 3.15 – 4.15pm.
- Glenmoriston Mobile Service – Thursday 9.30 – 1oam.
- Dochgarroch Mobile Service – Thursday 11 – 11.30am.
- Dalneigh Mobile Service – Thursday 12.15 – 2.15pm.
David Duff, Post Office network provision lead, said: “We are delighted to be introducing a brand-new Mobile Post Office to serve these 10 communities, restoring Post Office service to these communities. We thank the Postmaster for Dingwall for operating these Mobile Post Offices as we know how important a Post Office is to a community.”
New figures released earlier this week revealed that across the north and north-east the number of Post Offices has halved in 20 years.
In 2000 there were 571 outlets across the north and north-east but in 2020 that number had reduced to 278.
The Post Office is looking for public involvement to restore some of its services to the rural communities in the region. To get involved go to the Post Office website.