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Published:
August 8th, 2008
'Save
Burnham-On-Sea's phone boxes', call concerned councillors
 British
Telecom's plans to remove several telephone boxes in the Burnham-On-Sea
area as part of a cost-cutting programme
have this week been criticised by town councillors.
Burnham-On-Sea.com
was first to report in June
that call boxes in Rectory Drive (pictured) and the Walrow in
Highbridge are under threat because, according to BT, they are
used too infrequently.
Burnham
and Highbridge town councillors this week decided they would send
a formal objection to BT, protesting against the plans.
"In
the case of Rectory Drive, this is a very densely populated area
and our proposal is to object to BT," said Burnham's Mayor
Peter Clayton at this week's council meeting.
Cllr
Chris Williams added: "I would be very unhappy to see these
boxes go, especially the one in Walrow."
Other
local boxes that could be removed include Penmoor Road in Berrow,
The Causeway at Mark, East Brent in Highbridge, and another at
Basonbridge.
Official
statistics show the Walrow kiosk was used 48 times over the last
year, while the Rectory Drive kiosk was used just nine times.
Sedgemoor
District Council is encouraging the public to give feedback on
the plans and has started a web page here
that lists the type of evidence which will help the authority
make a case against any removal.
The
public can also contact the council's Julie Cooper, who is dealing
with the matter, by email at Julie.cooper@sedgemoor.gov.uk. The
deadline for the council to receive comments is Monday September
8th.
A
BT spokesman told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We are committed to
providing a payphone service but overall kiosk usage has halved
in the last two years."
"Before
removing any kiosk with no alternative payphone within 400m we
write to the local authority to obtain consent."
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