CONCERNS have been raised over the future of Darwen’s police station after it was revealed that the town’s patrol teams are reporting from Blackburn.

At a meeting with Darwen Town Council, Lancashire Constabulary Chief Superintendent Bob Eastwood said that response teams who drive patrol cars booked on at the divisional headquarters in Greenbank Business Park before making the journey to the Union Street station in Darwen.

At the end of their shift, they travel back to Greenbank to book off.

Chf Sup Eastwood said: “They book on at Greenbank and immediately come over to Darwen. There will always be a 24/7 police response in Darwen. Greenbank is very accessible.”

He added that the new system had been in place since early July and that there had been “no problems” so far.

But critics said it was a “waste of time” and are concerned it means the Darwen station is being wound down.

Already a consultation is taking place over closing the station’s front desk amid £42million force budget cuts.

Town Council leader Councillor Steve Duncan said: “By doing this, we are losing cover and there must be an increased cost of travelling.

“Darwen’s crime rate has decreased a lot in recent years and the policing here should be held up as a good example. To do this just doesn’t make sense. As the old saying goes, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

“At first all they were talking about was getting rid of the front counter, now they’re saying the response cars are reporting elsewhere. The more you probe, the more it goes further and you wonder what the future of the station is.”

Chf Sup Eastwood has made repeated assurances that there is no intention to close the station in Union Street.

At the same meeting he said: “I am not closing the police station.”