Bolton West MP Chris Green has today responded to a consultation, disagreeing with proposals that would see Bolton’s County and Family Courts moved to the centre of Manchester.
In a letter to HM Courts and Tribunal Service, the MP said:
“I am writing in response to the above consultation, which would see Bolton County and Family Courts moved to the Manchester Civil Justice Centre.
“As the Member of Parliament for Bolton West, I am concerned that these proposals would, overall, have a negative impact on my constituents.
“My constituents live on the edge of Bolton and so would have further to travel under these proposals, requiring around two hours of travel time for each day they would need to spend in court. Although the consultation document refers to Greater Manchester’s ‘excellent public transport infrastructure comprising an extensive public tram system (Metrolink)’, the Metrolink does not, in fact, connect with Bolton, or indeed the towns and villages in my Bolton West constituency. Often, traffic studies reflect only the transport times when the system is operating at its best and we rely almost entirely on slow and overcrowded trains, utilising stations that are sometimes without disability access.
“With the incipient democratic changes in Greater Manchester being about powers both being taken up from local government as well as being devolved from central government, the centralisation of these court functions are suggestive that further powers and facilities will be taken from Bolton and given to the city of Manchester.
“The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton has a large and diverse population of around 280,000 people, located on the very edge of Greater Manchester and neighbouring Lancashire. I believe for these reasons that Bolton should be treated as a special case, justifying having its own courts.”