Warminster placed to get new Wiltshire custody unit

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson has announced plans to build a new custody unit in the Warminster area to serve the county. The current unit in Melksham would close, and there would be no replacement for the one in Salisbury which closed last year. Gablecross in Swindon would remain open, leaving just two units for the Force area.

When the three units were open their operating cost was £4.5 million per year.

A feasibility study into a Warminster unit will be carried out. In the meantime arrested persons from the Salisbury area will continue to be transported up to Melksham.

Warminster is seen as the best place because of its central position, good transport links which would allow quick access by road, plus the ability to put those released from custody onto a train if necessary to get them home again.