Council fight to save phone boxes

BT said the phone boxes were not commercially viable

A council in North Yorkshire is campaigning to save 50 public phone boxes threatened with closure under plans by BT.

As well as objecting to the removal on emergency and safety grounds, Harrogate council says the phone boxes should be kept for heritage reasons.

Public consultation has shown strong opposition locally to the proposals.

BT said it wanted to remove the phone boxes because they were not commercially viable.

The boxes earmarked for closure are spread throughout North Yorkshire including ones in Iton, Timble, Cowthorpe and Knaresborough.

Many said these traditional boxes are part of our heritage and indeed many said locals cherish them Council leader Mike Gardner

The council said although phone box use had declined, there was a higher number of elderly people living in remote parts of the district who may rely on them for emergency calls.

The council wants BT to consider converting phones with low usage to card only or emergency only calls.

Council leader Mike Gardner said: "This will remove some of the costs from BT but more importantly will make our rural communities feel secure in their homes.

"There is varied mobile coverage in our rural and rugged landscape and we all know that most elderly people do not want to use new technology."

Many of the phone boxes threatened with closure are the traditional red K6 kiosks - showing the King George V crown and the council said it would be asking English Heritage to consider listing the boxes.

Councillor Gardner said: "Many of those responding to the consultation said these traditional boxes are part of our heritage and indeed many said locals cherish them."