RESIDENTS are being asked for their views on proposals from BT to remove 74 public payphones across the district.
There are around 47,000 phone boxes in the UK according to BT but they estimate the overall use of payphones has declined by over 90 per cent in the past decade.
With around 98 per cent of the UK having either 3G or 4G coverage, the need for payphones for use in emergency situations is falling all the time.
As a result, the district council want residents’ views and is consulting with parish councils, giving them a number of options including adopting the phone box for community use.
The consultation runs until Thursday December 9 and responses can be submitted to [email protected] or www.stratford.gov.uk where further information and a short online survey can be found.
Council chiefs will consider the results in January when a response will be agreed prior to a formal submission to BT.