Majority of town's public payphones could be removed

The majority of BT public telephone boxes are likely to be removed from streets in Newtown, Llanidloes and other communities in the area, it has emerged.

More than 80 are to be discontinued in Powys and now BT and Powys County Council are holding a consultation into their future.

As reported by MyNewtown previously, there is an option to adopt a phonebox, but this would not maintain a phone within the kiosk, only allowing it to be used for other purposes, such as a community information point.

Montgomery Town Council took over one of its payphones several years ago, turning it into a tourist information point.

Phone boxes at Canal Road, Station Road and Llanidloes Road in Newtown, Tregynon, Bettws Cedewain, Main Street in Caersws, several in and around Llanidloes and Carno are all under consultation.

In the past year the phone box in Canal Road was only used four times. While the one at Station Road, close to the railway station, was used 175 times.

BT says the use of public payphones has dropped by 90 per cent over the past 10 years as more people use their mobile phones.

The removal process is being regulated by Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, and Powys County Council is the "Local Public Organisation" to receive responses to a public consultation.

"Following the consultation the Council will forward recommendations to BT and the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport," the consultation states.

This consultation process also gives local communities the opportunity to adopt a traditional red ‘heritage’ phone box and
make them an asset that local people can enjoy. It’s really simple to do and it costs just £1 (click on the button link above).
The Council invites your views for consideration as part of this process.
 
If you wish to submit a response for consideration please reference the relevant payphone number and location from the list below. Responses may agree the removal, object giving reasons, or indicate that the community wishes to adopt a kiosk for an alternative use. The deadline to submit responses is Wednesday 21st August 2019.

The consultation page can be found here.

Photo: The payphone in Back Lane is not on the list of those being discontinued