BT Slammed as Councillors Welcome Reprieve for Local Payphones

Half of the payphones across Bedford Borough set to be axed by BT have won a reprieve after Bedford Borough Council stepped in to veto the removal of important local phones following pressure from Liberal Democrat Ward Councillors and from Parish Councils.

BT announced its intention to remove the payphones back in May. A long 'phone box removal process' then followed, overseen by the communications regulator Ofcom. During the process Lib Dem Ward Councillors battled to save local payphones in the villages of Cotton End, Stewartby, Podington, Wymington and on Carron Road, Brickhill and Kimbolton Road in Bedford. It has now been confirmed that these payphones will remain in operation, along with other phones previously under threat in Melchbourne, Wilstead, Harrold, Sharnbrook, Bromham, Turvey, Wood End and on Ampthill Road, Bedford. The removal of fourteen other payphones will go ahead.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for De Parys Ward David Sawyer, whose intervention helped save the public payphone on Kimbolton Road which BT sought to remove, commented: "It is great news that Ward Councillors have been successful in fighting to save important community assets. The payphones which have won a reprieve should never have been proposed for removal by BT in the first place. Its efforts to remove payphones providing a vital service to communities represented a shameless attempt to cut its own costs and make local residents pay the price. It sought to take phones away from rural areas with no alternative provision, and also from urban areas where the phones are used very frequently indeed, such as Kimbolton Road. Many of these phones are also needed for emergency use.'

"The reprieve for important local payphones was certainly no thanks to BT and its obstructive approach during the consultation period. This included refusing to take telephone calls on the matter, which is a strange position to adopt for Britain's largest telecommunications company!"