Politicians slam phone removal plan
COUNCILLORS and an MP have slammed BT’s plans to remove 10 Wear Valley phones boxes. North West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong and Weardale Cllr John Shuttleworth have already written to BT opposing the proposed removal of 10 boxes, saying they are vital to the community.In a letter to BT Ms Armstrong said: “I am really concerned that these villages will be without kiosks, especially when mobile signals are unavailable in many areas, which could lead to delays in someone reporting an emergency.
“I am certain that many people living in these villages will feel isolated and very vulnerable if the kiosks are removed; especially some of the elderly who do not have telephone connections in their homes. I hope my letter will have a positive outcome and that we can save our local kiosks which provide a vital lifeline to local communities.”
Cllr Shuttleworth echoed Ms Armstrong’s concern and said: “Mobile phone reception in Ruffside and Witton-le-Wear is awful so people need a phone they can rely on. “You can’t get more isolated than Ruffside and it could cause big problems if there is no phone.”
A 90-day public consultation period over the boxes’ futures has now started, and BT said: “If a clear social need for the boxes can be proven then we won’t remove them. BT has been conducting a regular review of its payphones for several years now, in response to a decline in payphone usage prompted by a massive rise in the popularity of mobile phones.
“About 60 per cent of the 61,792 BT kiosks in the UK are unprofitable as a result. “As part of this ongoing Ofcom-approved process, BT has recently written to Wear Valley District Council indicating BT would like to remove 10 kiosks in the Wear Valley area to realign public provision to the reducing demand that still exists.”
There are two boxes proposed for closure in Tow Law, and at eight other Wear Valley locations including Frosterley, Thornley Oakenshaw, West Auckland, Ruffside, Witton-le-Wear Howden-le-Wear and St John’s Chapel. BT also add that 90 per cent of UK homes have phones and 85 per cent of the UK public has a mobile phone.
