BOLTON residents have backed our campaign to keep Bolton Magistrates Court open and condemned plans to move the court out of town.

The Bolton News revealed this week that proposals are being considered to close Bolton Magistrates Court in a bid to save money.

The plans were put forward by The Manchester Orbital Branch (MOB) of the Magistrates’ Association, which claimed the court was “not fit for purpose”.

The Bolton News — more than 12 years after we ran a successful year-long campaign to save the 75-year-old building in Le Mans Crescent, when plans were announced by the Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court Committee in 2001 to shut it and transfer cases to Bury and other surrounding towns — is calling on readers to once again help fight the plans.

Mary Baxter, aged 75, from Bolton, said: “I don’t understand why the magistrates court would close — I think it’s too important for Bolton to close.

“I don’t think it’s fair that people will have to travel out of the area.

“Given the size of Bolton it would be better to stay here.”

Lynn Doyle, aged 55, from Westhoughton, said: “My main issue with the closure would be the travel.

“If people need to go, will they be expected to travel a long distance for something that we should probably have here?”

Gladys Malane, aged 80, from Halliwell, said “The people of Bolton should have this court.

“The area is too important not to have it and I can’t imagine it moving now. It should stay here.”

Kelevah Warburton, aged 57, from Bolton, said: “I think the court should remain open — it’s important that this area has a magistrates court and it shouldn’t be moved.

“An area this size needs it. Bolton has a big population so I can’t understand why it should be moved.”

Moraine Flanagan, aged 77, from Bolton, said: “I don’t think it’s a good thing at all — this is a very busy place and it will obviously need a court.

“It might even result in more crime. I know they might try to save money but I don’t think it will work.

“We should maintain our own court properly and find a way to keep it here, not rely on other areas.”

Sign our petition here.