PARISH councils throughout rural Dorset are asking BT not to remove their public pay phone boxes.

Around 70 boxes have been ear-marked for removal for low use, with BT arguing that much of the area has a good mobile phone signal.

In many locations where the removal is suggested, but not opposed, the distinctive red boxes may be ‘adopted’ by community groups, or parish councils, for a nominal £1 fee.

Maiden Newton parish council is objecting to the removal of the box at Newton Road but will not object to the removal of the payphone at Chilfrome Lane and would like to adopt it.

In Sydling St Nicholas the parish council is objecting to the removal of the box in the High Street saying there is virtually no mobile phone signal in the Chalke Valley. The same argument is used to keep both boxes at Buckland Newton and Henley with a 38-signature petition collected.

Piddle Valley parish council object to the removal of the boxes at Wightmans Orchard, Piddletrenthide and Rectory Road, Piddlehinton.

At Stratton the parish council is objecting to the removal of the box outside the former Bull Inn in Dorchester Road.

In Charminster the parish council has not objected to the removal of the box at Cocklands but will adopt the box on North Street.

Chickerell parish council has not objected to the removal of three boxes but is objecting to the removal of the one at Chickerell Road/Putton Lane. It says the 46 calls made in the past six months were probably from elderly people who live in the area.

At Winterborne Abbas the parish council says the phone box near the garage should be retained.

 

*At Cattistock the parish council wants to adopt the phone box outside the Fox & Hounds while at Godmanstone the parish council has agreed to adopt its box as has Woodsford parish council if its objection to the removal is not upheld.

*Chickerell parish council has not objected to the removal of three boxes – at Glennie Way, East Street and at the entrance to Littlesea Camp on Lynch Lane.

Puddletown, Broadmayne, Crossways and Martinstown parish councils have not objected to the removal of phone boxes in their areas although in Martinstown some residents have asked for the box in the main street to be retained.

There has been no comment from the parish council about the future of the box at Robins Gardens, Cheselbourne.