BT in push to remove phoneboxes from South Kesteven and Rutland
BT is looking to remove 15 of its 49 surviving payphones from across South Kesteven and three of its 13 surviving payphones in Rutland.
The phone giant says the move reflects the use of such payphones dropping by 90 per cent in the past decade because most people now have a mobile phone.
BT says it considers the location of any other nearby payphones and their use. Communities have until December 23 to comment on its proposals.
A spokesman said: “As part of the consultation we are also offering communities the chance to adopt traditional red ‘heritage’ phone boxes to the ground for just £1 through our Adopt a Kiosk scheme and transform them into something inspirational for their local area.”
Potential uses could include hosting defibrillators, mini libraries and local information centres.
Earlier this year, BT made a push for people to adopt traditional red phone boxes for such uses.
The spokesman continued: “The need to provide payphones is diminishing all the time, with at least 98 per cent of the UK having either 3G or 4G coverage.
"This is important because as long as there is network coverage, it’s now possible to call emergency services when there is no credit or coverage from your own mobile provider.”
The threatened kiosks in South Kesteven include those in Manthorpe and Wilsthorpe; in Main Street, Baston; near the Toft Hotel in Toft; and those in Sutherland Way and in Edinburgh Road, Stamford.
The threatened kiosks in Rutland are at Snowdon Avenue/Cold Overton Road, Oakham; Briggins Walk/Burley Road, Langham; and at the Airmen’s Married Quarters, Weston Road, Edith Weston.
Stamford town councillors heard of the plan at last week’s meeting of the full council.
Town clerk Patricia Stuart-Mogg reported correspondence from BT, which said the affected phones in Stamford had not been used in the past year except the one in Sutherland Way, which was used 11 times.