24 NRW towns lack a mandatory post office

Deutsche Post still has fewer branches in rural areas than it needs. In July, there were 141 so-called unoccupied mandatory locations nationwide, the Federal Network Agency said in response to a dpa query. According to the information, 24 branches are missing across NRW – including in districts of Grevenbroich, Velbert, Pulheim, Erftstadt and Overath, in Siegen, Hagen, Lippstadt and Hamm and also in some large cities such as Dortmund and Essen.

However, automated stations are being offered at some locations or the opening of branches is planned in the near future, according to the Federal Network Agency.

According to a legal rule, the post office must have at least one branch in communities with more than 2,000 inhabitants. In communities with more than 4,000 inhabitants, the distance to the branch in contiguous residential areas must not be more than two kilometers.

With almost 13,000 post offices – most of which are kiosks and other retailers with post office counters – the Bonn-based company has a strong presence nationwide, exceeding the state requirement of a total of 12,000 branches. But in rural areas and on the outskirts of towns, the post office does not always comply with the distance rules.

The reason for the logistics company’s difficulties is the structural change in rural areas: if the last supermarket or general store in a village closes and no other retailer is available as a partner, the branch location remains vacant. Sometimes it just takes a while until a partner is found.

A Post spokesperson pointed out that setting up branches “is very challenging, particularly in rural areas with a poor retail infrastructure, and we must always expect branch partners to close their businesses.” It is therefore not unusual that the number of vacancies has increased.

The problem is likely to get worse next year. New rules in the postal law, which was recently amended, will come into effect at the turn of the year. Under certain circumstances, automated post offices will also be counted towards meeting the mandatory requirement, which has not been the case so far. Post offices can be used to buy stamps, frank parcels, and drop off letters and parcels. There is also video advice. One advantage: the machines are available around the clock, but customers must adhere to the opening hours of post offices.