Council Leader and local MP have voiced "serious concern" over the decision to permanently close the borough's last remaining police front counter at Twickenham Police Station this Saturday, 28 February.

The move by the Met Police will leave Richmond as one of only five London boroughs without any in-person police counter.

Council leader Gareth Roberts described the decision as "deeply concerning".

He said: "Residents are losing the very last place they can go to speak to a police officer face-to-face in this borough.

"For many, especially vulnerable people and those without easy online access, this is not just inconvenient – it is unsafe."

In December, Richmond Council launched legal action against the Met and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime over the planned closure.

The authority cited a lack of consultation, insufficient evidence and concerns about accessibility.

Cllr Roberts said the Council was "forced to act" after earlier assurances that every borough would retain at least one 24/7 front counter were not upheld.

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The Council is now calling for the decision to be suspended pending the outcome of a judicial review.

"Our concern is simple," Cllr Roberts added. "Decisions of this scale must take residents' needs into account.

"Closing the last front counter before these proceedings are complete undermines public confidence in policing and risks making already vulnerable residents feel cut off from support."

Once the Twickenham counter closes, the borough's nearly 200,000 residents will need to travel to alternative stations including Kingston, Hounslow, Acton, Sutton and Hammersmith for in-person services.

While online reporting and telephone contact remain available, the Council argues these options cannot fully replace local, face-to-face support.

Meanwhile, Munira Wilson, MP for Twickenham, commented: "For vulnerable or elderly residents who struggle to report crime in other ways, or women and girls suffering abuse for whom it may not be safe to do so, an accessible police counter is vital — and that accessibility is equally important for building public trust." 

She added: "Now, more than ever, the Met has to prove that community policing won't suffer. Local residents need to see a clear and noticeable increase in police on the streets."

The closure follows other policing changes in the borough, including the disbandment of the Royal Parks Police last year.

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Richmond Council said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on the judicial review process.

Residents are urged to use online services or call 101 for non-emergencies, and to dial 999 in an emergency.