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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Save our phone boxes
July 15, 2008 12:00 AM
By Peter Black in Seaside News August 2008
By Peter Black in Seaside News August 2008
Proposals recently published by BT could result in 15% of payphones being removed across Wales with communities in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend facing the withdrawal of these potentially life-saving facilities.
In my view it is essential that BT considers removal of phone boxes not purely on usage and economic viability but also on issues of public safety and social inclusion. Payphones can often be a lifeline in an emergency situation. Just because these phones are not used regularly, to take away that lifeline would be a mistake.
BT claims that most people have mobile phones, yet some areas have limited or no network coverage and batteries can easily lose their charge. Payphones also play an essential role in providing access to services such as Childline or domestic abuse lines in both urban and rural areas. Often victims cannot phone from home.
Even if they are only used once or twice in a week they still have the potential to save lives. BT has an obligation to maintain a network of payphones on the grounds of public safety and social inclusion, not purely on economic viability.
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