Under threat pay phones reprieved

Four pay phones in Leicester that were proposed by BT to be scrapped will be retained after protests by residents and the city council.

BT said the number of calls from payphones had halved in the past three years in the UK. It blamed the rising use of mobile phones.

It had initially earmarked 10 booths in the city for closure.

But it has agreed to safeguard kiosks at Gamel Road, Knighton Road, Melton Road and Glenhills Boulevard.

The city council had requested BT to allow them to remain in place because of their value to the community.

Councillor Mark Farmer, cabinet lead for regeneration: "It's good news for these communities, where some people rely on the availability of pay phones.

"We need to remember that as yet, not everyone has a mobile phone or a home phone."