Just paid for my tax disc...

Yes - I did mine online for the 1st time this year and it was quick and swift, except for the fact that my reminder arrived on Saturday and I couldn't do it until the Monday as that was the "15 days before it was due" day. I did it at 12.08am on the Monday morning (although I promise I didn't stay up especially on Sunday night to do it at the first opportunity I could!).

I was trying to do mine for 3 days, but the site has been down, In the end I done it on Thursday using the Telephone service, which is equally as good :)

And you don't have to be made to feel like a criminal by some jobsworth Post Office worker.

wrote

But how will you feel when your local Post Office is closed down because "the volume of trade has fallen to an unsustainable level"?

No different. My local newsagents and supermarket offer the same services.

At the risk of sounding selfish, absolutely nothing.

The only thing I've ever had to do at a post office is tax my car, and send a parcel.

The problem is that to do the first one, I *have* to visit the main branch in Chester. None of the "local" post offices can do car tax stuff, rapid driving license stuff. They can only be used to collect your pension, post parcels and buy stamps. Stamps I can get at the supermarket, I'm not old enough for a pension, so the only thing left is to post a parcel.

Unfortunately, my local post office has the bloody awful arrangement of opening after I'm in work, closing before I leave work, and being closed for 2 hours at lunch time.

This then forces me to (1) wait until the weekend (when they're *also* closed), and post it at the main office, or (2) post it via work, putting the money into petty cash.

I once went to the closest "local" one, and I had to do 2 things. Apply for a change of address for my driving license, and convert it to a photo one ("You can do it at the post office"), and get a tax disc. I had all the paperwork. I queued for *40 minutes* got to the front, to find out that both of these weren't supported, and that I'd have to go into town and do it at the big post office. To do that, parking's a nightmare (or just expensive!), but I had no option.

Pete.

Good aint it!! I did the Volvo online last month, or maybe the month before. Disc turned up in 2 or 3 days.

Also sent of for a new v5 for the BX on monday (previous owner had lost it). The form said up to 4 weeks wait, which would have been a pain because it needs tax at the end of the month. But it turned up today. So from me posting it to receiving the new v5 was under 5 days - I was very surprised and quite impressed!!

Knight Of The Road ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

They've just completely revamped my local post office.

Totally indifferent. It is not my job to provide jobs for Post Office employees. The Post Office is not an employment agency.

Nationalised industries - don't you just love 'em?

JD

Disc arrived in the post yesterday. Very efficient!

There used to be one at the SavaCentre in Merton. And like all franchises there it had to be open for the same times as the Sainsburys. Including Sunday 10-4 and weekdays 'till 10pm. Great for taxing the car as it was deserted outside 'normal' hours. It closed, of course.

Then be prepared for a long drive to some industrial estate when you want to post/collect a parcel from a private carrier, and find that they contain jobsworths too - and large queues. Nor are they open 'better' hours than a Post Office.