THE custody cells at Oxford’s main police station will be closed in a bid to save £2.5m, it was revealed yesterday.

People who are arrested in the city who would have been held at St Aldate’s police station will be taken to Abingdon Police Station eight miles away once the proposals are in force.

The custody suite, which has 17 cells, will formally close when all custody functions are in place at Abingdon, where there are 30 cells.

It is part of a project that also includes major maintenance work on the St Aldate’s building, expected to start in January and take eight months.

Thames Valley Chief Constable Sara Thornton revealed the plans at a policy, planning and performance meeting of the police and crime commissioner yesterday, held at Exeter Hall in Kidlington.

She said: “The rationale is that it was going to be £2.5m to bring it up to the safety standards and we have 30 cells in Abingdon.

“We could not justify spending more money in Oxford. We are not reducing the staff. All the staff in Oxford city will be transferred to Abingdon.”