Merseyside Police Authority considers closing Wirral police stations

Aug 13 2008 by Sue McCann, Birkenhead News

POLICE stations across Wirral could be closed and replaced with a single “command centre”, it has been revealed this week.

A consultants’ report - which could see smaller police “access points” elsewhere in the borough - will be considered tomorrow by Merseyside Police Authority.

The authority is also looking to create an Area Command Centre which would be used to respond to emergencies.

Currently Wirral has 10 police stations - at Mortimer Street, Laird Street, Well Lane and the Pyramids shopping centre in Birkenhead, in Bromborough, Wallasey, Moreton, Hoylake, Upton and Heswall.

Many are only open from 9am-5pm or 10am-6pm, except Bromborough which is 9am-7pm. Wallasey is 8am-midnight and Mortimer Street is open 24hours.

Wirral councillor Kate Wood, a member of Merseyside Police Authority, said: “We are looking for an area command centre, but that is not to say all the police stations will close.

“The Area Command Centre would be a replacement for Mortimer Street and Laird Street. Everything else would hinge on when and where we get the site for the centre.

“When that is decided, there will be a review of what we have and where we need to be for access for the public.”

Cllr Wood said the authority was looking at “generic command units” across Merseyside but added: “It’s basically a consultant’s report at this stage.”

No greenfield sites were being considered for new stations, she added.

The report says the authority is considering various sites for the new command centre in Wirral, which could be the first part of Merseyside to go forward with this new approach.

It is understood that Beaufort Road is believed to be one of the sites favoured.

The consultants’ report said: “This issue had been considered carefully within the force.

“Although a single response site was the preferred option, if timings were considered inappropriate, a second response site would be considered.”

The report added: “Until the preferred Area Command Centre was identified, the impact on other sites could not be reviewed.”

A spokesman for Merseyside Police and the Police Authority said they were unable to comment ahead of tomorrow’s meeting.