Three Shropshire County Courts will close today

Three county courts are due to close their doors for the last time today as part of the Government's spending cuts. The courts in Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Oswestry are being axed.

Their cases are being transferred to Telford County Court.

The nationwide shake-up of the court system has already seen the closure of magistrates' courts in Oswestry, Ludlow and Market Drayton this year.

Following the closures, Shrewsbury Magistrates Court will initially run some county court hearings for three days a week, reducing to two days a week from April 2012.

The decision to close Shrewsbury's county court has been criticised by Shropshire councillor Heather Kidd, who has been involved in a campaign to save it.

She claimed the move was 'very short-sighted' and claimed a number of people living in rural areas would find it difficult to travel to Telford. Jeremy Taylor, a member of the Shropshire Law Society, has described the decision to close the court as a 'kick in the teeth for Shrewsbury'.

Joan Matthews, money advice service team leader for the Citizens Advice Bureau in Shropshire, has previously warned the closure could lead to an increase in homelessness, due to the difficulties for people living in rural areas and facing repossession orders in getting to Telford.

Last month, Judge Peter Main said that the move to centralise county court services in Telford would result in greater pressure on judges and staff to work more efficiently.