Sir,-As a retired magistrate and the chairman of the Police and Community Forum for several years, I am very concerned about the proposed Strategic Plan 2002-2006 published by the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority and in particular the proposal to close the Kingston upon Thames Magistrates' Court.

Victims, witnesses, defendants and police officers will have to travel further, either to Richmond or Wimbledon which will cause additional financial costs as well as the loss of police time.

Also it is known that those who are required to attend court, obviously I exclude police officers, will be less likely to make themselves available if they have to travel some miles.

In fact when discussing this problem at a fringe meeting at a recent Labour Party Conference I said that if I had to travel some distance because I was required to give evidence the police would have to take me!

Who will pay the additional costs including police time - the Government, The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, or the Greater London Magistrates Courts Auth-ority?

Will they also make a contribution towards the cost of employing additional police officers because of the time spent by present officers going to either Richmond or Wimbledon.

I doubt it so we shall see fewer police officers on the streets of the Royal borough.

On behalf of all residents in the borough I hope that the Strategic Plan so far is Kingston is concerned is consigned to the waste paper basket.-Douglas G Reynolds, Douglas Road, Surbiton.