Phoneboxes under threat of removal in Doncaster

BT has applied to the council to dismantle 17 units because ‘they aren’t used enough’.

The firm has urged residents in communities affected to contact Doncaster Council’s planning department to make representations in keeping any one of them.

BT in recent past has spared the classic red phone boxes and is urging people to make their case before September 24 if they want to keep certain ones.

The phone boxes under threat are:

Village Street, Adwick Le Street;

The Spinney, Balby;

Marlowe Road, Barnby Dun;

Askern Road, Bentley;

Nostell Place, Bessacarr;

Everingham Road, Cantley;

Owston Road, Carcroft;

Graham Road, Kirk Sandall;

Laburnum Road, Mexborough;

Marshland Road, Moorends;

Town View Avenue, Scawsby;

Crossland Way, Scawthorpe;

Skellow Road, Skellow;

Norman Crescent, Sunnyfields;

Alexandra Street, Thorne;

Market Place, Tickhill;

Tenter Lane, Warmsworth.

BT said public payphone use has plummeted by about 90 per cent in the last 10 years.

It said the need to provide payphones for use in emergency situations is ‘diminishing all the time’, with at least 98 per cent of the UK having mobile coverage.

As long as there is mobile network coverage, it is possible to call the emergency services, even when there is no coverage from your own mobile network provider, the firm said.

In correspondence with the council, Rick Thompson, BT planning officer, said: “We’re continually reviewing the demand for our payphones and we’ve identified 17 public payphones in the area that aren’t being used enough.

"We’re proposing to remove them under the 90-day consultation process.

“To make sure the local community is fully informed, we’ve placed consultation notices - including the posting date - on these payphones.

“Obligation applies to the telephone, not the phone box. The guidance also details the appeals process we must follow for unreasonable objections.

“It would, for example, be inappropriate for a local authority to object to removal of a public call box because it is a local landmark or on ‘heritage’ grounds.”

To save a red phone box, BT is urging residents to visit bt.com/adopt