OXFORD East MP Andrew Smith has urged police to keep better records after it emerged they do not know whether cuts in station opening hours have had an impact on people reporting crimes.

Thames Valley Police scaled back public access to Oxfordshire police stations from July 1 by up to 70 per cent to save £600,000 over three years.

Nearly two months on, the Oxford Mail asked for figures showing how many crimes had been reported at stations before and after the cuts.

The force said it did not record how and where crimes were reported. But officers said they were confident victims would not be affected as “most crimes” were reported over the phone – despite them not keeping records to prove this.

Mr Smith said police were right to prioritise front-line policing amid the cuts. But he added: “People will, though, expect a proper record of visits to the police station to be made so that the impact of the reduced opening times can be properly assessed and reviewed.”

Police keep records of bail sign-ons, traffic collision reports and document production at stations.

But the figures were last night unavailable.

Hours at Wantage police station fell 58 per cent and it is now open between 10am and 2pm weekdays.

Zoe Patrick, a member of the town’s Neighbourhood Action Group, said: “We all know many people do use phones to report crime but it is surprising they don’t have the facts and figures to support their decision.

“Obviously if you are reducing the hours, fewer people are going to use them.”

Wantage town councillor Eddy Goldsmith, a former police officer, said: “If someone comes home and finds they have been burgled they will pick up the phone, not run down the police station. But if you find a wallet with £50 in it you cannot hand that over the phone.”

At a police station, residents can report crime, bad driving, or suspicious activity. They can also hand in lost property, show documents, and apply for firearms licences.

Wallingford police station was the most severely hit by the cuts – hours fell 70 per cent from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday to 10am to 2pm Tuesday to Thursday.

Hours in Witney were restricted to 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday – a cut of 52 per cent.

Bicester, Cowley and Didcot suffered cuts of 37.5 per cent, 47 per cent and 33 per cent respectively.

Ch Insp Jim Weems, from neighbourhood policing and partnerships, said the force provided a 24- hour phone service and met victims of crime so they did not need to visit a station. He said: “The vast majority of crimes are reported by calls to our enquiry centre and for some considerable time very few people have reported crimes at police station front counters.

“While we do not have figures, I am very confident that the changes to the opening hours have not affected the victims of crime.”

He added: “A review will take place once the changes have a chance to settle in and the public have had time to get used to the new opening hours.”