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Bridge Street Police Station to close to the public
The police enquiry desk will move into Bayard Place from Bridge Street police station. Photo: Ben Davis/Peterborough ET
A Peterborough city centre police station will close to the public from Wednesday, 18 January in a cost-saving measure for the force.
Bridge Street Police Station will no longer be open to the public as Cambridgeshire police drives down costs.
From Monday, January 23, the police will open a one-stop shop, sharing space with Peterborough City Council at its Bayard Place office in Broadway.
Chief Inspector Nick Knight said: “This new joint office will provide a service that meets the needs of the public.
“This move is required because Bridge Street is no longer the modern, accessible location people expect.
“We also believe we can provide our enquiry office service more cost effectively by working with Peterborough City Council.”
It has been claimed that the new facility will save residents time.
It will provide city council services and the police in the same place, meaning people need only visit one building to sort out their issues.
Mark Sandhu, city council head of customer services at Bayard Place, said: “We often find that people visiting Bayard Place are sometimes unclear on whether they should report issues and concerns they have to the police or city council.
“Some people have also had queries for both organisations.
“A shared enquiries facility with our police colleagues will make it convenient for the public who will be visiting an environment that includes private interview rooms and access to a number of associated services.”
Officers and PCSOs will remain at Bridge Street police station, providing a base for city centre policing and police vehicles.
But last year, Chief Constable Simon Parr, refused to rule out the complete closure in the future.
The move comes amid other cost-cutting measures.
Late last year, Cambridgeshire police agreed to pool resources with Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire police forces.
This will include sharing armed officers, major crime, professional standards and scientific services in a move that will save £3 million a year.
The police have not said how much the move out of Bridge Street will save.
What do you think?
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
bob44
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 05:04 PMWe were 'consulted' at a city centre forum about 4 months ago and the overwhelming feeling was that it was not a good idea. We were also told that it was YEARS away and there would be a lot more consultation before it happened. We were told it was just one idea among many. We feel very cheated.
Apsleyman
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 06:54 PM@4 - Have Holly Golightly and Lula Mae Barnes morphed into one whinger?
BoroReader
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 05:32 PMPending Moderation
TheKorat
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 02:05 PM'Bridge Street Police Station to close to the public'.. er, hadn't it anyway?, whenever I've cycled past their it's always in darkness.. Cutbacks, cutbacks, cutbacks.. I'll give it ten years before there's just one person doing EVERY job in the UK.
HollygoLula
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 11:45 AMSurely it makes more sense to have the Police presence near the Courts? Also, if the building is staying open as a base for the Police to use....how much money is this actually saving? Sounds to me that there will be a change of contract for some of the Bayard staff in handling new queries.
rebel woman
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 09:54 AMHow is it more central. Town hall is central. It is better for people who are disabled, which is good and it is closer to the pubs and clubs but for the people from south of the city I would say it is the other side of the town centre. At least those arested for housing benefit fraud can just go into the next office. lol
Dalek Sec
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 09:39 AMMakes sense really. And this is more central too. But complete closure would be wrong.
Gwendoline Horseradish
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 09:39 AM"You're nicked sunshine, I'm taking you to the one-stop shop."
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