SHEPHERD'S BUSH police station has officially been earmarked for closure.
The station, in Uxbridge Road, which is open to the public between 7am and 10pm, could be shut permanently following a public consultation launched today.
It is one of 71 stations to be axed to help save £500million across the Metropolitan Police by 2015 outlined in the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan.
The proposals will retain the 24-hour front desk at Hammersmith police station, but the all-day service at Fulham station will be reduced to 9-5pm opening hours.
Outdated and underused stations are being sold off, leaving just one main 24 hour station per borough in a move to deliver a ‘more efficient and higher quality estate’.
Running costs have already been slimmed by £20million to £205m per year with targets to cut this by a further 30 per cent to £140m by 2015/16.
Borough Commander Lucy D’Orsi, previously told the Chronicle the demand for front counter policing in Shepherd’s Bush is ‘very low’ and the closure will allow ‘warranted police officers (to return) from support roles to frontline policing’.
Deputy Mayor for Policing - and former Hammersmith and Fulham Council leader - Stephen Greenhalgh said: “By putting bobbies before buildings and being smarter about how we use budgets, we can not only create a police force to be proud of but one that we can afford.”
* A road show outlining the plans will take place at Hammersmith Town Hall in King Street on Tuesday, February 5 from 6-7pm.
