Decision Looms After Court Bid To Save London Police Stations

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Wimbledon's Queen's Road station is on the closure list

A legal challenge to plans to close 37 police stations across the capital by Wimbledon Councillor Paul Kohler was completed yesterday (June 7).

Lawyers acting on behalf of Councillor Kohler argued in the High Court this week that the Mayor of London's public consultation and consequent decision to close the stations were legally flawed and unlawful.

Wimbledon Police Station in Queen's Road is on the closure list, but was given a short-term reprieve in December.

Councillor Kohler (left), who was subjected to a vicious attack in his Kings Road home, believes he only survived because police officers were able to get to his house from the nearby Wimbledon station, one of the 37 police stations under threat of closure as part of an asset disposal programme expected to bring in £170m.

He was held down and repeatedly beaten and kicked during the burglary in 2014. Following a 999 call from his daughter Eloise, officers from the nearby Queen's Road station arrived within eight minutes to save his life from the attackers. He said it could have been 20 or more minutes if they'd have come from Mitcham Police Station instead.

Under the current plans it is understood that Wimbledon Police Station will remain open to the public until at least late summer as Mitcham Police Station is not yet ready to become a 24/7 facility.

Lib Dem Councillor Kohler said he felt satisfied with the High Court hearing and is anticipating a decision next month. "We were pleased with how it went and took the opportunity given by the court to fully explain our concerns regarding the inadequacies of the consultation," he explained.

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June 8, 2018