Forty-two more post offices in Scotland have been earmarked for closure in the latest round of cuts.

The proposed closures are part of cutbacks across the UK and will affect the North East, Tayside and Fife, Post Office Ltd said. It has opened a six-week public consultation to allow communities to put their views forward.

Many of the branches are in villages or small towns in rural areas, from Buckpool and Keith in Moray to Lower Largo in Fife. Post offices in cities and larger towns are also affected, with branches in Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth on the closure list. Post Office Ltd also proposes introducing 37 outreach services in rural communities, with many remaining within their existing premises. Sally Buchanan, network development manager for Scotland, said: “Taking the decision to close any post office branch is always very difficult and we know it will cause concern to many of our customers.”

The UK Government aims to reduce the national network of post office branches by up to 2,500 from its current level of more than 14,000.