Sydenham Police Station to close

 Sydenham Police Station to close

Under proposals put forward by the Metropolitan Police, Sydenham Police Station in Dartmouth Road is due to close. Scotland Yard has announced that it plans to close 65 of the capital’s 136 police stations and reduce the opening hours of 25 others.

Other local stations such as Brockley will also go leaving Deptford and Catford stations open only during the day and central Lewisham station as the only 24-hour station in the borough. The Met plans to close 200 buildings (including New Scotland Yard) and replace them with contact points in cafes, libraries, supermarkets and Post Offices. Police numbers also also due to drop with the borough of Lewisham losing 24 officers (four per cent of its total).

Across London there will be a loss of 1133 officers (six per cent of the total). The Sydenham Society has campaigned strongly over the last six months to save Sydenham Police Station and will now be fighting to ensure that adequate and meaningful local police contact points are put in place.

A consultation on the local plan is being held on Monday 28 January in the Civic Suite at Lewisham Town Hall, starting at 6pm. Stephen Greenhalgh, GLA Deputy Mayor for Policing, will be present.