Dudley Police Station petition with more than 2,000 signatures delivered to Parliament

A petition containing more than 2,000 signatures calling for plans to close the front desk at Dudley Police Station to be scrapped has been delivered to Parliament.

Published Mar 12, 2015

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West Midlands Police announced in November that Dudley Police Station would be one of 27 across the region that are set to have their front offices closed to the public within 12 months.

Police stations in Wednesbury, Tipton, Stourbridge and Halesowen have already closed to the public.

But the closure of Dudley's front desk would leave it as the largest town in the country without a police station that could be accessed by the public.

West Midlands Police says the closures are necessary to protect police numbers in the face of funding cuts.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin said: "Official figures show our station is just as busy as those elsewhere but closing it would leave Dudley as the largest town in the country without a police station open to the public.

"I think that's completely unacceptable which is why I launched this petition. The fact that 2,200 residents have backed the campaign – including our former superintendent Mr Roger Bagley – shows local people agree.