News story

2nd July 2004

Act Now to Save your Payphone

Steve Webb MP with one of the threatened payphones

Northavon MP Steve Webb is urging local residents to act now if they want to save a threatened payphone in their town or village. BT have estimated that forty of the 113 payphones in the Northavon constituency do not make a profit, and of these they are planning to remove sixteen. If there is big local opposition to the removal of a payphone, BT may think again. But the deadline for responses is on July 12th, so local residents will have to move fast to register their concerns.

The location of the payphones that BT is planning to close are described by BT as follows (although in a number of cases these descriptions refer to post offices that no longer exist):

- Pye Corner, Hambrook
- Outside sub post office, Westerleigh Road, Pucklechurch
- Over Lane, Almondsbury
- Outside Hospital, Gloucester Road, Thornbury
- Centre of village, Oldbury-on-Severn
- Labyby, Rudgeway, nr Iron Acton, Gloucester Road
- Outside Post Office, Main Road, Aust
- Northwick Village, Northwick Road
- Outside 17 Cranham, Yate
- Cotswold Road, Chipping Sodbury
- Centre of Codrington Village
- Bagstone, Church Lane, Rangeworthy
- Outside Post Office, Rockhampton
- Oustide Post Office, Hill
- Outside Yew Tree Cottage, Little Badminton
- Orange End, Inglestone Common, Badminton

Commenting on the closures, Steve Webb said:

"Although payphone use has been declining, many people still do not have mobile phones and a conveniently positioned payphone can be of great value, especially in an emergency. I hope that all residents who are concerned about the threatened closure of a particular payphone will register their opposition, and will also let me know of their concern".

Residents who oppose a closure need to write to Peter Jackson, Director of Planning at South Gloucestershire Council. Steve Webb can be e-mailed on stevewebb@cix.co.uk or contacted by post at House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.