Corby Council to object to removal of six phoneboxes

Corby Council is set to object to six of the eight planned phonebox closures in the borough.

Operator BT is culling underused payphones across the country and has already earmarked 18 for closure in the borough of Kettering.

It wants to lose eight from Corby, Stanion, Weldon and Great Oakley – but Corby Council says it is only in favour of two of the proposed closures.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Corby Council says that the phonebox in Occupation Road/Rutherglen Road has been used in the past year, according to data, and that the phonebox in Newark Drive has been vandalised which could account for its apparent zero usage.

It also objects to the proposal to remove the phonebox in High Street, Stanion, on the grounds that the village has a number of older residents for whom this could be their only form of contact if their home phone was down.

The authority also objects to the proposed closure of the Shire Road/Stour Road payphone as there is a high concentration of social housing, and is against the Greak Oakley proposed closure as the red phonebox contributes to the conservation area.

It also feels the phonebox in Weldon’s High Street should remain as it is used and phone coverage in unreliable in parts of the village.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, it supports plans to close phoneboxes in Willowbrook Road/Maidford Road and Princewood/Causeway Road because they are underused.

The council has now begun a second, four-week, consultation and invites comments.

Following this second consultation, the council will consider the responses received and then publish its ‘Final Notice of Decision’ which sets out the final decision and the reasons behind it.

Comments on this draft decision must be received by no later than 5pm on Thursday, January 5, 2017, by email to [email protected] or by post to the following address:

BT Payphone Consultation, Local Plans, Corby Borough Council, Deene House, New Post Office Square, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 1GD.

Related topics: