Southend's Short Street sorting office is to close in a radical national shake-up of postal services which will result in thousands of workers losing their jobs.

Consignia, the company which handles mail throughout Britain, has announced a series of radical measures in an attempt to offset spiralling costs and big losses.

These will include reducing the total number of depots from 101 to 51, including the Short Street depot. Experts are predicting up to 40,000 jobs nationwide could be lost.

John Roberts, Consignia's chief executive,said: "We are talking to our people whose jobs are directly affected in face-to-face meetings throughout today.

"We are determined to offer as many of them as possible a genuine option to stay with the business, or to take a voluntary package."

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Published Monday, March 25, 2002