BT calling time on Burnley phone boxes

Up to 14 phone boxes could potentially be removed from the streets of Burnley, as communications company BT look to dispose of the kiosks which are no longer commonly used.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Nov 2016, 13:46 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2016, 17:16 BST
The widespread use of mobile phones has made a number of phone boxes defunct.The widespread use of mobile phones has made a number of phone boxes defunct.
The widespread use of mobile phones has made a number of phone boxes defunct.

Usage of phone boxes has dramatically declined across the country with the advent of semi-universal possession of mobile phones and near-widespread service, leading fewer and fewer residents to rely on phone boxes to contact others whilst out and about.

According to BT, there are over 47,000 phone boxes on Britain's streets - 1,002 in Lancashire alone - with the 14 in Burnley set to undergo a review process to assess whether they should be removed due to a lack of use.

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"BT is committed to providing a public payphone service, but with usage declining by over 90 per cent in the last decade, we’ve continued to review and remove payphones which are no longer needed," a statement said.

"Any removal of payphones is carried out in strict adherence to the Ofcom guidelines and, where appropriate, with the consent of local authorities."

All phone boxes in Burnley are under a 90 day consultation period with the local authority at the moment and that ends on the 15th of December.

"In all instances where there’s no other payphone within 400 metres, we’ll ask for consent from the local authority to remove the payphone," continued the statement. "Where we receive objections from the local authority, we won’t remove the payphone.

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"As an alternative to removal, we will continue to actively promote our Adopt a Kiosk scheme to all councils whilst being committed to maintaining the payphones that remain.”

The phone boxes under review are the following:

Hillingdon Road O/S 30 Beckenham Court (BB10 2RJ)

Opp Coaching House Hotel Glen View Road (BB11 2QS)

Jnc Harold Street Cog Lane (BB11 5JU)

Opp 350 Burnley Road Burnley Road, Cliviger (BB10 4SU)

Jcn Tunnel St/Allerton Dr Pendle Way (BB12 0PY)

Jct Burnley Road/Duke St Burnley Road, Briercliffe (BB10 2HG)

O/S No 2 Bank Street Sparrable Row, Briercliffe (BB10 3QW)

O/S No 2 Brownside Road Brownside Road (BB10 3JU)

Walk Mill Opp No 42 Burnley Road, Cliviger (BB10 4SN)

Adj To The Reservoir Burnley Road Clowbridge, Burnley (BB11 5PB)

Outside Central Railway Stn Railway Street (BB11 1DA)

Opp No 4 Holland Street Holland Street, Padiham (BB12 8LD)

O/S Post Office Padiham Road (BB12 6LG)

Junction Of Shorey Bank Ormerod Road (BB11 2RU)

Related topics:BurnleyLancashireBritain