BT is formally consulting on plans to remove a number of pay phones from around the borough.
The Parish Council has been made aware of a formal consultation process being undertaken by BT on their current programme of intended public pay phone removals.
There are currently 33 public pay phones within Swale which have been identified and proposed for removal by BT under the 90 day consultation process and details of these pay phones are shown below.
Overall use of pay phones has declined by over 90% in the last decade and the need to provide pay phones for use in emergency situations is diminishing all the time, with at least 98% of the UK having either 3G or 4G coverage. However being a Borough made up of rural communities, it is important to take this issue into consideration as 3G or 4G signal is not always available.
2 telephone boxes in Upchurch are on the list. The telephone box at the junction of The Street and Horsham Lane and the telephone box on the A2 London Road at the junction with Oak Lane.
Due to the delay in having sight of the consultation document Swale Borough Council has requested an extension to this consultation period, however in the first instance they are asking for responses by Friday 13th January.
The following list of phone boxes are those at risk of removal within the Sittingbourne area:
Junction The Street Horsham Lane Upchurch Sittingbourne ME9 7AL
Outside Medway Autos London Road Upchurch Sittingbourne ME8 8PT
Opposite No.12 / 14 Gore Court Road Park Drive Sittingbourne ME10 1YN
Bus lay by opposite Iwade Post Office Iwade Sittingbourne ME9 8SS
Outside Supermarket Gadby Road Sittingbourne ME10 1TH
Junction Newman Drive Puttney Drive Kemsley Sittingbourne ME10 2SJ
Junction Bourne Grove. Staplehurst Road Sittingbourne ME10 1SY
Junction London Road / Borden Lane London Road Sittingbourne ME10 1NL
Outside 48 / 50 Homewood Avenue Sittingbourne ME10 1XW
Tunstall Road Tunstall Sittingbourne ME10 1YQ
Junction Dean Road / Windmill Road Tunstall Sittingbourne ME10 2NT
Outside Post Office Rodmersham Bottles Lane Rodmersham Sittingbourne ME9 0PP
Junction Castle Road Eurolink Way Sittingbourne ME10 3HH
Opposite Station Road London Road Teynham Sittingbourne ME9 9QN
Outside No. 1 & 2 Batteries Close Lynsted Sittingbourne ME9 9RA
Oad Street near junction Oad Street Borden Sittingbourne ME9 8LB
Junction with Northdown The Street Doddington Sittingbourne ME9 0BH
If anyone has views about the proposals to remove any of the above pay phones or for more information or to submit any representations please contact Sophia Ramm
Email: sophiaramm@swale.gov.uk or Call: 01795 417193.
Wendy Licence
Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01634 363906
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