Twickenham MP Munira Wilson has warned that the borough of Richmond could be left without a single public-facing police counter if plans to shut half of London's front desks go ahead.

According to The Standard, leaked proposals from the Met Police show the number of counters across the capital could be cut from 37 to just 19 in a bid to plug a £260 million budget gap.

Of those, only eight would remain open 24/7, with others closing earlier in the evenings and at weekends.

The list of at-risk sites includes Twickenham Police Station, which Ms Wilson said would mean residents across Richmond upon Thames would need to travel to Acton, Sutton or Lambeth for a round-the-clock access point.

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth, Ms Wilson said: "Community policing has already suffered death by a thousand cuts, both under the Conservatives and Labour.

"Cutting police station front counters would put yet another nail in the coffin of community policing.

"Maintaining public-facing police counters is vital for building trust, accessibility and relationships with the local community."

Munira Wilson says the Met Police plans will damage community policing (credit: House of Commons).

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The Lib Dems have pledged to reinstate a police counter in every community and proposed new alternatives such as desks in libraries, shopping centres and town halls.

They say this could be funded by scrapping police and crime commissioners.

Concerns have also been raised that those on bail may be forced to travel miles to report, increasing the risk of absconding.

Met Commander Hayley Sewart defended the plans, saying that on average just 2.4 crimes per day are reported at Twickenham station and that 95 per cent of offences are now reported online, by phone, or directly to officers in the community.

She added that the Met is focusing resources on "visible policing on London's streets" and boosting the number of PCSOs and officers.

But Paula Dodds, chair of the Met Police Federation, said the closures would reduce accessibility:

"If we close police station front counters the public can't have access to us when they need it most. Not everyone can go online or make a call – they want that personal interaction."

READ MORE: Twickenham police front counter set to close as Met cuts 18 stations across London.

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