UNION leaders have visited Westminster to protest against the downgrading of civil courts across Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

The Public and Commercial Services Union wants the Court Service to reverse cost-cutting plans that will slash the services available in Evesham, Kidderminster and Redditch.

People seeking a divorce or hoping to resolve a financial dispute could be forced to travel to Worcester in future, the PCS is warning.

The union, which represents bailiffs, clerks, ushers and clerical staff, yesterday visited London to urge MPs to join their campaign to force the court authorities into a U-turn.

The downgrading plans were unveiled in the Court Service's Modernising the Civil and Family Courts report.

Worcester Civil Court will continue to operate in its present form, but will be renamed a Primary Hearing Centre.

However, the civil courts in Evesham, Kidderminster and Redditch will be downgraded to part-time Local Hearing Venues.

Members of the public will no longer have access to face-to-face advice. The union fears there is no guarantee that they will not close completely in the future.

The courts will continue to hold hearings in the area, but these will only take place on a limited basis, such as once a fortnight.

"PCS members are committed to building a modern and effective court service," Eileen Turner, PCS secretary for the Midlands circuit, said.

"However, we believe that the proposed strategy will fail to deliver this, while jeopardising local access to justice.

"Downgrading civil courts from into part-time Local Hearing Venues is the first step to closing them outright.

"People in the Midlands circuit will be forced to travel miles to access the comprehensive services of a Primary Hearing Centre."

Hereford will also become a Local Hearing Venue. But the court, which could lose some services, will continue to operate full-time.

People across the county will be given more services via the internet and telephone hotlines.

"The experience of other public and private service providers shows that telephone and internet technologies are best employed to widen access to a service rather than offer a cheaper alternative to traditional face-to-face contact," added Ms Turner.

"PCS believes all civil courts in the Midlands circuit should continue to provide a full-time walk-in advice service to their community."