AS MANY as 12 rural post offices could be lost in Parliamentary constituencies for Wharfedale and Aireborough, according to projected figures.

The Keighley constituency, which takes in Ilkley and Addingham, may lose four rural sub post offices under Government cuts announced last month, says the Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for the area.

And uniform closures based on the total number of post officers in each constituency would see Shipley constituency lose three, Pudsey lose three and Leeds North West lose two, says Kris Hopkins.

The Royal Mail, however, says no decisions have been taken on which branches will close, and it is in the middle of a three-month consultation to find a constructive and viable way forward for the network.

The Government announced in December that it planned to close 2,500 rural sub post offices around the country.

Bradford Council leader Councillor Hopkins, who also plans to stand in the Keighley Constituency in the next General Election, says the cuts will affect the elderly and inform most of all, and claims the Government has no understanding or feel for what is really going on outside the cities.

He said: "Post Offices continue to be the lifeblood of our community, particularly in rural areas, and I am gravely concerned at the Government's intention to reduce their number still further in Keighley."

"I believe the Government, which has already closed around a quarter of the UK's Post Offices, should quickly reconsider its approach on this issue, starting by examining ways to bring more business opportunities to the network to secure its future."

Coun Hopkins' statistics on projected closures for each constituency in the year ahead are based on the current number of post offices and the number of post offices lost since 1999.

A total of 3,818 post offices have been closed in recent years nationally, including three in the Keighley Constituency, six in Leeds North West, nine in Pudsey - the constituency including Aireborough - and four in the Shipley Constituency.

Royal Mail, however, disputed Councillor Hopkins' proposed closure figures, repeating an earlier statement that it will carry out a three-month consultation before deciding on and announcing that any specific post office will close.

A spokesman said: "In the very short term, we will continue to discuss with our shareholder, the Government, the overall investment case which is needed to enable the Royal Mail to facilitate the modernisation of the company so it can complete in an open and competitive market; deal with the historic pension fund deficit in a way acceptable to the trustees of the pension fund, and; secure the future of the Post Office network."

The actual closures are expected to take place by summer this year. Larger main post offices are not under threat in the cuts.