Red telephone boxes could be saved by adoption scheme
Thousands of red telephone boxes could be "adopted" by local councils after BT reviewed its policy of removing them from the streets.
Councils will be able to apply to keep their red telephone boxes - minus the equipment Photo: IAN JONES They will be able to keep the boxes to maintain the character of the area even if the telephone itself is removed.
BT is offering two schemes to the local authorities. One is the adopt-a-kiosk, where councils can pay £1 for the red boxes to be maintained, although they will no longer have phone equipment inside them.
Another is sponsor-a-kiosk, where the councils will be charged a fee of £500 annually towards the running and maintenance of the phone boxes. This applies to all phone boxes, not just the classic red design.
At their peak, there were around 95,000 BT payphones across the UK, but 31,000 have been removed as mobile phones became more popular than payphones.
The telecoms giant said it would let local authorities adopt or sponsor the boxes for an annual fee of £500, including the phone.
At its peak, there were around 95,000 BT payphones across the UK, but 31,000 have been removed as mobile phones became more popular than payphones.
There had been fears BT would scrap a further 9,000, as they claimed nearly two thirds were unprofitable.
But the company has reconsidered.
A spokesman for BT said: "During the consultation process around removing unprofitable payphones, a number of suggestions have been voiced by local people and local government.
"We have listened to these suggestions and can now confirm that local authorities that wish to maintain red telephone boxes - minus the telephone equipment - for aesthetic or heritage reasons will be able to do so.
"In addition, local authorities that have requested to contribute to maintenance costs to retain a red telephone box with a working telephone will also be accommodated."
He added BT would not remove any red booths between now and October 1, the deadline for local authorities to submit their application.
According to English Heritage there are now 12,747 traditional red telephone kiosks in England alone.
The Conservatives' Shadow Secretary for Business, Alan Duncan, had written to BT in June suggesting the adoption scheme.
He said: "I'm delighted that BT has agreed to what was always a perfectly simple proposal to ensure that red phone boxes do not disappear into the great grey blur of the modern British streetscape."
source
Councils will be able to apply to keep their red telephone boxes - minus the equipment Photo: IAN JONES They will be able to keep the boxes to maintain the character of the area even if the telephone itself is removed.
BT is offering two schemes to the local authorities. One is the adopt-a-kiosk, where councils can pay £1 for the red boxes to be maintained, although they will no longer have phone equipment inside them.
Another is sponsor-a-kiosk, where the councils will be charged a fee of £500 annually towards the running and maintenance of the phone boxes. This applies to all phone boxes, not just the classic red design.
At their peak, there were around 95,000 BT payphones across the UK, but 31,000 have been removed as mobile phones became more popular than payphones.
The telecoms giant said it would let local authorities adopt or sponsor the boxes for an annual fee of £500, including the phone.
At its peak, there were around 95,000 BT payphones across the UK, but 31,000 have been removed as mobile phones became more popular than payphones.
There had been fears BT would scrap a further 9,000, as they claimed nearly two thirds were unprofitable.
But the company has reconsidered.
A spokesman for BT said: "During the consultation process around removing unprofitable payphones, a number of suggestions have been voiced by local people and local government.
"We have listened to these suggestions and can now confirm that local authorities that wish to maintain red telephone boxes - minus the telephone equipment - for aesthetic or heritage reasons will be able to do so.
"In addition, local authorities that have requested to contribute to maintenance costs to retain a red telephone box with a working telephone will also be accommodated."
He added BT would not remove any red booths between now and October 1, the deadline for local authorities to submit their application.
According to English Heritage there are now 12,747 traditional red telephone kiosks in England alone.
The Conservatives' Shadow Secretary for Business, Alan Duncan, had written to BT in June suggesting the adoption scheme.
He said: "I'm delighted that BT has agreed to what was always a perfectly simple proposal to ensure that red phone boxes do not disappear into the great grey blur of the modern British streetscape."
source
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