The post office in Belvaux is set to close its doors in April.
It is still possible to buy stamps and manage bank accounts at the Belvaux post office. However, the location will close in April, as will many other postal offices across the Grand Duchy. New regional centres paired with more pack-up stations and external partners are expected to compensate for the disappearing offices.
The restructuring process of the national postal network was initiated in 2015. 48 offices have since been shut. The Belvaux post office will be next, after which the local services will be relocated to Belval.
Hjoerdis Stahl, spokesperson for the postal services, commented on the ongoing process: "Closing the smaller offices helps reduce traffic in towns and we see that many people already tend to make use of the regional bureaus, as they have more facilities. Furthermore, we are currently building a new centre in Belval, which will take over all the services formerly offered in Belvaux."
Around 4,600 people work for Luxembourg's postal service, which makes it the country's largest employer. Officials underline that staff are not decreasing, even though many services are now available online or offered through external partners.
Stahl explained that their online offer has significantly changed the way in which people conduct their business: "Internet usage has significantly increased over the last couple of years. Between 2015 and 2021, we recorded a decrease of 1.2 million customers in our local offices."
There are people who oppose the ongoing disappearance of local post offices. For the second time this year, a protest was organised in front of a post building in the south of Luxembourg.
Ali Ruckert, president of the Communist Party of Luxembourg (KPL), commented on the process: "There are many people who are not as mobile. Older people still regularly visit their local office, which shows in the busy week hours here in Belvaux. The closure means that life will be less easy for many people."
Post office officials deny the allegation of leaving people out in the rain: "In 2015, we served our customers for close to 4,000 hours in our offices during the week. Today, that rate has increased to 6,500 hours. We may have fewer locations, but have increased our work load to benefit clients."
Another argument in favour of larger regional offices is that they create a better work environment for their staff members.
