POLICE are being criticised over plans to close custody cells in West Oxfordshire.

All six cells at the Witney police station are to be shut – reducing the number of police cells in the county from 49 to 43. An expansion scheme at Abingdon will eventually take the total to 60.

Without the Witney custody suite police must do a 70-mile round trip to cells in Banbury, 40 miles back and forth to Abingdon or 32 miles to Oxford and back after making an arrest.

At those stations a specialist team will take on the case, allowing the officer back out on the beat.

The force has issued a statement but refused to answer further questions on why the Witney cells were closing or about claims police would spend longer off the beat in West Oxfordshire.

Chief Supt Brendan O’Dowda, Oxfordshire’s commander, said there were good reasons to shut Witney and he believed officers’ presence on the streets in the west of the county would improve.

Witney MP and Conservative Party leader David Cameron said: “I want to ensure Witney has a proper working station that provides as full a service as possible, and will be seeking assurances about this situation.”

District councillor David Harvey added: “Like many people I have expressed my concerns with police.

“They reassured us there will be additional staff in Banbury, Abingdon and Oxford to deal with the process and take away the need for an arresting officer to spend hours processing somebody. We will have to wait and see if this happens in real life.”

Mr O’Dowda said in his statement there were “operational, logisitical, health and safety, cost effectiveness” reasons and the need to “maximise investigative opportunities”.

“There are now three main custody sites in Oxfordshire, at Banbury and Oxford with a significant build taking place at Abingdon which will accommodate up to 30 detainees (previously 13).

“At each of these sites there are dedicated investigation teams that will deal with the majority of persons arrested by front line officers. This will enable them to return to their neighbourhoods and patrolling duties far more quickly than in previous years.”

He added police resources in west Oxfordshire had been increased “signicantly” and effectiveness and presence would be improved.

Thames Valley Police refused to say when the Witney custody suite would close, but it is expected before the station in Abingdon opens.

There are currently 13 cells in Abingdon, 18 at St Aldate’s in Oxford and 12 in Banbury.

According to RAC data when police make an arrest in Witney they face round trip on the road of one hour eight minutes to Abingdon, one hour 36 minutes to Banbury and one hour 12 minutes to Oxford, plus the time to process the arrested person.