The Post Office plans to shut 44 branches and replace some with mobile services in rural Scottish communities.

Outlets in Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire will be affected but the Post Office insists 91% of the population will see no change in their local branch.

Sally Buchanan, network development manager for Scotland, said: "Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know will cause concern to many of our customers.

"We want to ensure that everyone who uses, relies on or has any concern with Post Office services is both fully aware of the proposed changes, and able to give views on them."

Some rural Ayrshire communities will be served by new services - either mobile offices, a new outlet inside premises with "restricted hours", a service inside a shop or over the phone.

A consultation period will last six weeks and details can be accessed online at www.postoffice.co.uk or by writing to the company.

Ms Buchanan said: "We believe these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward for Post Office services in Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire, bearing in mind the minimum access criteria and the other factors to which we have to have regard."

The news comes as research reveals almost one third of older people (3.6 million) in the UK have seen their nearest post office close, new figures from Help the Aged have shown.

Figures from the older people's charity also show that one fifth of older people (2.3 million) will need to travel at least half a mile to a mile further to find a replacement for their local closing branch.

The charity believes older people, many with mobility problems, are not being given adequate consideration during the consultation process.

Dr Alan Burnett, senior policy officer for Help the Aged, says: "Older people feel very strongly about this issue. When you have a mobility problem or difficulty getting around, a journey extended by only half a mile is not a simple matter of a little more exercise - it is almost a complete removal of the service.

"Older people are contacting us to say they feel ignored by the consultation process."

The following 44 branches are proposed for closure under the Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Area Plan:

Airdrie and Shotts

Eastfield, 9 Old Eastfield Street, Harthill Whinhall, 21 Whinhall Road, Airdrie Plains, 115 Main Street, Plains

Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock

Southend, 197 Dalrymple Street, Girvan Turnberry, Turnberry Post Office, 4 Maidens Road, Turnberry Newtonhead, 80 Main Street, Ayr Forehill, 23 Mount Oliphant Crescent, Ayr

Central Ayrshire

Loans, The Post Office, Troon Moorfield Road, 30-32 Moorfield Road, Prestwick, Thornhouse Avenue, The Post Office, 37 Thornhouse Avenue, Irvine

Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill

Blairhill, 154 Bank Street, Coatbridge Sunnyside, 1-4 Russell Colt Street, Coatbridge

Cumbernauld Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch

Banton, 96 Main Street, Banton Waterside, Burnbrae Road, Kirkintilloch Kildrum, Afton Road, Cumbernauld Queenzieburn, Meadowside Road, Queenzieburn, Kilsyth Rosebank, 39 Lammermoor Road, Kirkintilloch

East Kilbride Strathaven and Lesmahagow

Bankhead, Lesmahagow Westwood, 27-29 Westwood Square, East Kilbride

Inverclyde

Brougham St, 25 Brougham Street, Greenock Glasgow Rd, 1 Mansion Avenue, Port Glasgow Rankin Park, 182 Dunlop Street, Greenock Midton, 58 Tower Drive, Gourock

Kilmarnock and Louden

Bonnyton, 25 Munro Avenue, Kilmarnock

Lanark and Hamilton East

Quarter, 21A Limekilburn Road, Hamilton Westport, The Post Office, Lanark Hareleeshill, 40A Hareleeshill Road, Larkhall, New Lanark, Mill 3, Visitors Centre, New Lanark

Motherwell and Wishaw

Waterloo, 103 Overtown Road, , Wishaw Cambusnethan, 98 Cambusnethan Street, Wishaw Thorndean, 205 Motherwell Road, Bellshill Mossend, 3 Hope Street, Bellshill West Cross, 339 Main Street, Wishaw

North Ayrshire and Arran

Ardeer, 14 Station Road, Ardeer Baird Ave, 15-19 Baird Avenue, Kilwinning Fairlie, 89 Main Road, Fairlie Gladstone Road, The Post Office, 19 Gladstone Road, Saltcoats Glengarnock, 31 Main Road, Glengarnock, Beith

Paisley and Renfrewshire North

Arkleston Road (temp closed), 78 Arkleston Road, Paisley Glasgow Airport, Abbotsinch Wright St, The Post Office, 3 Wright Street, Renfrew

Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Graham St, 44-46 Macdowall Street, Johnstone

Rutherglen and Hamilton West

Coatshill, 56 Coatshill Avenue, Blantyre Mill St, 10 Wallace Street, Rutherglen

The following 7 branches are proposed for replacement by a so-called 'outreach solution':

Dailly, 64 Main Street, Dailly (Partner) Dunure, Harbour Stores, Dunure (Mobile) Kirkmichael, Jocks Restauraunt 24 Patna Road, (Mobile) Minishant, 24 Main Street, Minishant,(Mobile) Ochiltree, 108 Main Street, Ochiltree, Cumnock (Partner) Rankinston, Rankinston PO, 2a Kerse Terrace, Rankinston (Mobile) Straiton, 42 Main Street, Straiton, (Mobile)