The Met Police has confirmed that Twickenham's police station front counter is among 18 across London set to close, as the force looks to plug a £260 million funding gap.

The plans, which could be implemented by the end of the year, will reduce the number of police front counters from 38 to just 20.

Additionally, only 18 counters will remain open 24 hours a day, down from the current 32.

The proposals mean that Richmond borough would lose its only staffed counter in Twickenham, a move that breaks previous pledges by both the Met and London's mayor to maintain at least one 24/7 police counter in each of the capital's 32 boroughs.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist described the closures as "difficult choices", but said they were necessary to keep police officers on the streets rather than in underused offices.

"With a £260 million black hole in our budget, it's inevitable that some of the choices we're having to make will change the way we police London and will be unpopular with some people," Mr Twist told the London Assembly this week.

"This essentially comes down to us having to choose between keeping officers on London's streets… or retaining the current position on all front counters, which may be a symbolic point of access but are largely underutilised, especially overnight."

He added that front counter use has significantly declined in recent years, with only 5% of crime now reported in person, compared to 12% in 2012.

Under the Met's current proposals, the counters that would close were:

1. Barking Learning Centre, Barking and Dagenham
2. Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets
3. Chingford, Waltham Forest
4. Church Street, Westminster
5. Dagenham, Barking and Dagenham
6. Edmonton, Enfield
7. Hammersmith, Hammersmith and Fulham
8. Harrow
9. Hayes, Hillingdon
10. Kentish Town, Camden
11. Kensington, Kensington and Chelsea
12. Lavender Hill, Wandsworth
13. Mitcham, Merton
14. Plumstead, Greenwich
15. Royalty Studios, Kensington and Chelsea
16. Tottenham, Haringey
17. Twickenham, Richmond
18. Wimbledon, Merton

The Met has suggested re-opening a counter in Wood Green, Haringey as a partial replacement for the Edmonton closure, but no such alternative is currently planned for Richmond.

Since 2013, the number of open counters across London has plummeted from nearly 140 to 38, with waves of closures under both former mayor Boris Johnson and current mayor Sadiq Khan.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised the move, saying it would make Londoners "less safe".

The proposed closure in Twickenham has sparked concern among some Richmond residents and councillors, particularly given the ongoing issues with anti-social behaviour and the borough's role in hosting major sporting events such as the Women's Rugby World Cup final in September.

Critics argue that the closure reduces access to police services, especially for vulnerable people or those without digital access, and may damage public confidence in local policing.

The Met Police says it is re-shaping its resources to focus more on visible policing in neighbourhoods, rather than static counters.

No final decision has been made, and the Met says it will engage with communities before closures begin.

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