BOLTON Police Station’s custody suite will close at the start of August.

A consultation document from the Legal Aid Agency states that while the station, in Scholey Street, Burnden, remains part of Greater Manchester Police’s custody estate, from August 1 it will only be used for custody cases in “exceptional circumstances”.

After that date arrests in Bolton will be directed to custody suites in neighbouring stations and the location of the arrest will determine which custody suite deals with the matter.

People arrested in Bolton town centre, Heaton and Lostock, Farnworth, Kearsley, Little Lever, Harper Green and Hulton will be dealt with in Swinton from the start of August.

Horwich and Blackrod, Horwich North East, Westhoughton North and Westhoughton South cases will be dealt with in Wigan.

People arrested in Smithills, Astley Bridge, Bromley Cross, Bradshaw, Crompton, Tonge and the Haulgh and Breightmet will be dealt with in Bury.

Superintendent Chris Hankinson, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “We are dealing with more people through forms of restorative justice and alternatives to custody. With the changes to local policing, which have focused on having one officer to take charge of the case, we will see shorter times in custody.

“There isn’t a need for the number of cells that we have and following on from a review into the use of our custody suite at our station on Scholey Street in Bolton a decision has now been made for this to close. The station will, however, be on standby in order to manage one-off events or to support short term closures of other sites.

“I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the people of Greater Manchester that the service that we provide will not be affected. We will continue to prioritise working with partner agencies to intervene at the earliest opportunity to try and divert people from ending up in the criminal justice system and to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.”

When the announcement that the station was to go was made in March, solicitors called the plans “outrageous” and said that it would have a “big impact” on the Bolton community.

The Scholey Street station opened a decade ago with 19 cells, replacing the force’s previous Howell Croft North base and boasting a modern custody suite with expanded cell capacity.

Since the end of February the public inquiry counter at Scholey Street has been operating shortened opening hours – 8am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends.

The station has the only manned reception in the borough since the desk in Horwich closed.

The information about the closure was revealed as part of a consultation on how the Bolton Police Station duty solicitor scheme will change. The scheme may be retained or merged with another scheme.