Payphones to go!

SKDC and Rutland Council are in consultation with BT who want to close 59 pay phone booths around the Stamford and Rutland areas. BT blame mobile phones, saying this means there isn't the call for so many phone boxes.

A BT spokesman was quoted as saying that BT is committed to a public payphone service but usage has declined over the years. Around 60% of BT's phone boxes are unprofitable, and over 6,000 of them don't even make one call a month. "Almost 60 per cent of our payphones are unprofitable, with almost 6,000 phones making less than one call a month. Over the past two yesrts, payphone usage has halved, and it is declining by 20% year after year.

BT can't remove a phone without local council's consent if there isn't another payphone within 400 metres and if there's a 'clear social need' for it. The proposals were discussed at the Stamford Town Council meeting on Tuesday.
Independent councillor Clem Walden said that he was concerned as many people, particularly the elderly, didn't have a mobile phone.He felt it was important to let BT know that many of the phone boxes are used, and that they should remain. There are five payphones 'for the chop' in Stamford, and the council decided to ask BT for more information on the usage of those phones. Deeping St James has three phones in peril, and have asked that the Church Street one be retained. They would take responsibility for cleanliness and maintenance if necessary.

The phone boxes under the hammer are:
near Ashwell Prison;
Barleythorpe A606 Main Road; Barholm; Main Street, Baston; Belmesthorpe; Belton In Rutland, opposite the exchange in New Road; Elizabeth Drive/Pointon Road, Billingborough; Main Street, Bisbrooke; Northfields, Bourne; West Road/Churchill Ave, Bourne; Bulby;
Careby - Stamford Road; High Street, Carlby; Clipsham Road, Castle Bytham; Main Street, High Street, Colsterworth; Cottesmore;
Deeping St James - Church Street/Eastgate; Frognall, Deeping St James; Locks Close, Deeping St James; Fen Road, Dowsby; Main Road, Dunsby;
Empingham -Audit Hall Road; Essendine; near post office, Stamford End, Exton;
Great Casterton near post office, Main Street; Greatford; Main Street, Greetham; Gunthorpe;
Horbling, Billingborough Road;
Ketton, The Crescent, ; Ketton Crossroads, Luffenham Road, Ketton; near Rippingale Road, Kirkby Underwood;
Langtoft, West End; High Street, Little Bytham;
Market Deeping, Godsey Lane; Hanthorpe Road, Morton;
near Oakham - Burley Crescent;
Pickworth; opposite telephone exchange,Uppingham Road, Preston;
Ridlington, Main Street; Grinders Lane, Rippingale; High Street, Rippingale; New Road, Ryhall;
Seaton opposite Post Office; Casterton Road/Vence Close, Stamford; Holland Road, Stamford; Lincoln Road, Stamford; Ryhall Road, Stamford; St Martins Without, Barnack Rd, Stamford;
Tallington - Main Road; Thistleton by exchange; The Green, Thurlby; Main Street, Tinwell; near hotel, Toft
Whitwell, Main Road; Wilsthorpe; Wing Top Street, near post office; Bottom Street, Witham On The Hill.