Petitions launched to save Black Country police stations
Tory MPs in the Black Country have joined forces to launch petitions aimed at blocking the closure of police stations in their constituencies.
Jane Stevenson (Wolverhampton North East), Shaun Bailey (West Bromwich West) and Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) have launched the petitions in a bid to save their local stations.
The three stations – in Alfred Squire Road, Wolverhampton, Lower Church Lane, Tipton and Anchor Road, Aldridge – are among 24 across the region that West Midlands Police is planning to close over the coming years.
The closures, which were signed off by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson and Chief Constable Dave Thompson, are part of a plan to cut costs and protect officer posts.
Tory PCC candidate Jay Singh-Sohal, who is campaigning to stop the closures, said: “There has been a pitiful amount of consultation on these proposals, which is why we have launched these petitions to allow local people to express their views on the planned closures.
“Crime is ever-increasing and surrendering our stations would incentivise criminals and do more harm.”
Aldridge Police Station’s front desk closed in 2015, and the rest of the building was originally earmarked to shut this spring but was delayed by the pandemic.
Mrs Morton said: “We need a police station at the heart of our community to keep policing local.”
The closure of the station in Lower Church Lane, Tipton, has also been put back.
Mr Bailey said: “Black Country communities like Tipton will be left vulnerable to criminals if our police station closes – and my constituents simply do not agree with any of the arguments being put forward to justify it.
“We are now recruiting hundreds of new police officers, so it makes no sense at all to be shutting stations like this.”
Mrs Stevenson said people were “understandably very worried” about the planned closure of Wednesfield’s station.
“Local people in Wednesfield want a visible, strong, long-term police presence, and the reassurance of a local police station they can access,” she added.
Mr Jamieson has said he was left with little choice but to close stations as a cost-cutting measure, blaming Government cuts which have seen his force lose more than £175 million from its budget in the last decade.
To sign the petitions, visit www.savewednesfieldpolicestation.co.uk, www.savetiptonpolicestation.co.uk and www.savealdridgepolicestation.co.uk.
