A free temporary bus service has been introduced in Mylor Bridge to ferry Post Office customers to Penryn following the temporary closure of the village facility.

Mylor Post Office is being relocated from its home on the quay following the retirement of Roger and June Petrie, who had run the branch for 14 years. The service is being transferred to Mylor Newsagents in Passage Hill, but “unavoidable delays due to technical issues” has lead to a delay.

This means, that while the village branch closed on Thursday, the planned date for the opening of the new branch is not until May 20 with the nearest alternative facility being on The Terrace in Penryn.

To assist customers, a free temporary bus service will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until May 20. However, there will be no service on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4, but a service will run on Tuesday, May 5, instead.

The bus leaves from the bus stop near the Lemon Arms going to Penryn Office. The return service will pick up from the bus stop outside Penryn Post Office. The service will run until 20 May. Outward journey times are 10am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm. Return journeys are 11.10am, 12.40pm, 2.10am and 3.40pm.

The new facility in Mylor will be a new local-style branch where Post Office services are provided from an open plan till at the shop counter, instead of from a separate screened counter. The service will be available during the store's opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 7.30am to 7.30pm and Sunday, 7.30am to 6pm.

This will offer customers an extra 36 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office services every week including all day Sunday and Saturday afternoon. The branch will also open earlier and close later every day.

The proposed move is part of a major modernisation programme across the Post Office network designed to make it easier for customers to do business, through longer opening hours and modern open plan environments. There would also be easier access.

Will Russell, regional network manager said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Falmouth and we are confident this new modern branch will meet the needs of the local community in Mylor Bridge and secure services for the future.

“The modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and makes a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”