NEARLY 30 public pay phones in West Devon have been identified for proposed removal due to lack of use — including five in Tavistock.

West Devon Borough Council (WDBC) is currently holding a consultation after being informed by BT that 28 public pay phones have been identified for possible removal in the West Devon area. Residents are being asked to comment on the draft proposals via a survey on the council’s website before midnight on Sunday, December 11.

In Tavistock, the phone boxes that have been highlighted are located at Tavy Road, the junction of Callington Road and Plymouth Road, at Crelake Park, Bannawell Street and Anderton Lane.

The survey highlights the usage of each phone box over the last 12 months. The phone box at Crelake Park had 13 calls from it in the past 12 months, the Tavy Road phone box had 124, Callington Road and Plymouth Road junction box had 96, Bannawell Street had 14 and the one at Anderton Lane had only six.

Tavistock Town Council was asked for its recommendations as a consultee. Following discussion regarding the level of usage of the boxes located in Tavistock and their individual locations, it was recommended by the plans committee that the town council objects to the removal of the boxes at Tavy Road and the junction of Callington Road and Plymouth Road, due to the level of use and social need, but support the removal of the boxes at Crelake Park, Bannawell Street and Anderton Lane. The decision was ratified by the full town council at its meeting last week.

Chairman of the plans committee Cllr Paul Ward said: ‘In our capacity as the plans committee for Tavistock Town Council we limited our discussion to the proposed removal of five pay phone kiosks located within the parish of Tavistock. We did not discuss or comment on more remote areas of West Devon where other matters, such as poor mobile phone signals, have to be taken into consideration. Tavistock has a strong mobile phone signal, including 4G for email and internet connections, and most people have mobile phones. We recognise that times have changed and that it is becoming uneconomic to retain and maintain pay phone kiosks that are rarely used.

‘We looked at the number of calls made from each of the kiosks in the last 12 months. We objected to the removal of the kiosks on Tavy Road and at the junction of Callington Road and Plymouth Road, which had been used 124 and 96 times respectively. The other three kiosks, at Crelake Park, Bannawell Street and Anderton Lane, had been used 13, 14 and six times in the last 12 months. In view of the very small number of calls made from these kiosks and the prevalence of mobile phone ownership, we did not feel we could object to their removal.’

At the end of the consultation period West Devon Borough Council will collate the responses from the public and consultees and co-ordinate a draft decision to the Secretary of State and BT.

Other phone boxes up for possible removal include Old School House in Lifton, Lifton Down, Mill Hill Cottages, the box close to Jenn House at Rushford in Lamerton, Milton Combe and the green in Milton Abbot.

Cllr Mike Benson, WDBC lead member for the environment, said: ‘While this is unfortunate, the vast majority of people now make their phone calls on mobile phones so a reduction in the number of phone boxes was inevitable.

‘However, we are aware that in some areas there will be communities who still feel the need to retain their public telephone boxes. We would suggest that if you have concerns please do speak to your town or parish council or your local ward member.

‘This is the opportunity for local people to go online and have their say about the future of the phone boxes that BT no longer want to operate. Some of these boxes across the country are now being used as quirky local resources, like libraries and locations for defibrillators.’

For a full list of the phone boxes under consultation in West Devon and to comment visit www.westdevon.gov.uk/btsurvey