LEIGH Citizen's Advice Bureau has slammed the Magistrates' Courts Committee over plans to close the town's courthouse.

It claims it is irresponsible and negligent to raise barriers for the Leigh community to have access to justice.

The criticism follows a survey on the accessibility of both Leigh and Wigan courts to the disabled this week, completed with the help of volunteer and wheelchair user Cathy Griffiths.

Members say that the Leigh building can be brought upto standard by installing a ramp from the road to the pavement and painting two bays at the side of the court with the disability logo, fitting grab rails to the entrance, fitting a different door to the toilet and leaving the toilet unlocked.

Their report states that the Leigh community in general is not affluent, it has high unemployment and people living on low incomes or benefits. There is also a large part struggling to clear existing debt.

It adds: "To transfer the court to Wigan would suggest that attendance at court might be reduced due to the cost of travel and the reliability of transport services.

"One way to secure free travel is in a police car following failure to attend court!

"The Community Legal Service, which is to be implemented nationally in April, is to provide easier and greater access to justice, as all too often people find this hard.

"All types of agencies, advice centres and the legal profession are pulling together to make the system work.

"Is it therefore socially irresponsible and negligent with all the information that is to hand for the MCC and Lord Chancellor's department to exclude or raise barriers for the community of Leigh to have access to justice?"

If you have observations to make on the closure threat to Leigh Magistrates' Court, write to Cllr Peter Turner at his email address: p.turner@wiganmbc.gov.uk

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