This week Border politicians united in their criticism of plans to reduce services in the region following the launch of a six-week public consultation by Post Office Ltd on Tuesday.

The proposals would see 12 rural branches in the Borders replaced with either hosted or mobile services and the closure of the Rosetta Road branch in Peebles, also to be replaced with an 'outreach' service on a trial basis.

But local parliamentarians have reacted angrily to the proposed changes and vowed to fight on to save local Post Offices in villages and towns across the region.

Westminster MP Michael Moore said: "There will be relief shared by many that, by and large, we have avoided closures in the Borders. But to many communities, particularly in Morebattle, Clovenfords and Greenlaw, the proposed alternative is completely inadequate and unacceptable.

"For many of the communities being offered a new type of service, I am very concerned that the reduction in hours, or the removal of the post office from the village shop, will not only diminish the service but undermine the viability of the village shop as well," added Mr Moore.

The proposed cuts come following a government review in May last year which resolved to see 2,500 branches closed across the UK by the end of 2008 to overcome mounting financial losses and falling customer numbers.

Roxburgh and Berwickshire MSP John Lamont, who on Tuesday launched a petition postcard campaign, commented: "The proposals will come as a huge blow to many communities which have already been hit by the loss of other local services like schools, shops and GP surgeries in recent times.

"The local Post Office is often at the heart of a local community and I am concerned about the removal of yet more local services from rural communities."

However, president of the National Federation of Subpostmasters, Mervyn Jones – who runs the Sandbed Post Office in Hawick – described the changes as "an unfortunate necessity" and urged members of the public to contact Post Office Ltd directly with specific concerns about services in their area.

He told us: "I'm pleased there's no permanent closures in the Borders, but disappointed that services in rural areas could be substantially reduced. It's an unfortunate necessity due to government policies which are directing customers away from post office counters and making it less viable to sustain the service.

"The truth is there's not enough business in some of these rural areas to sustain a Post Office and we need the government to commit to putting more work across Post Office counters to make them more viable and sustainable for the future."

Under the proposals, 26 branches would be closed and a further 32 replaced with outreach services across Edinburgh, The Lothians and South of Scotland.

Alan Alexander, chairman of Postwatch Scotland, said: "This is not a consultation about how many post offices will close.