Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has condemned proposals from BT to remove telephone boxes from across the constituency.
A number of concerned constituents have contacted Gavin after hearing about proposals from BT to remove 39 telephone boxes from the local area notably in Shareshill where the current telephone box is located close to the public access defibrillator.
Gavin has called on the Chief Executive of BT to oppose the move highlighting the safety implications for people in areas with inadequate mobile phone coverage and may need to use the telephone boxes in times of emergency.
Commenting on the issue: “I was very concerned to hear about the potential removal of 39 payphone kiosks within South Staffordshire. These can often be a crucial lifeline but especially the more traditional phone boxes play an important part in the local community. I have urged the Chief Executive of BT to oppose this decision. Some parts of South Staffordshire are extremely rural and easy access to one of the telephone boxes is crucial, especially in times of emergency.”