Have your say over BT plans to remove phone boxes in Central Bedfordshire

But updated guidelines mean the council can no longer veto plans to remove a phonebox.

This means it can’t conduct a formal consultation and is instead asking for residents’ thoughts on the plans, which it will feed back to BT.

According to BT, the 10 payphones are no longer needed.

They are:

Junction Lynton Avenue PCO1 High Street, Arlesey, SG15 6SN – 01462 735260

Opposite Lloyds Bank PCO1 High Street, Biggleswade, SG18 0JD – 01767 315702

Junction Station Road PCO1 Cambridge Road, Langford, SG18 9PL – 01462 700289

Junction Dunstable Road PCO1 Manor Road, Caddington, LU1 4ED – 01582 453594

Junction Turnpike Road PCO1 Horsepool Lane, Husborne Crawley, MK43 0XD – 01525 280212

Brickworks PCO1 Marston Road, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0PP – 01525 404065

O/S Ate High Steet PCO1 Eversholt Road, Ridgmont, MK43 0TT – 01525 280260

Junction Church Path PCO1 London Road, Sandy, SG19 1EX – 01767 680611

Pco Pco1 Lancotbury Close, Totternhoe, LU6 1RQ – 01582 662115

The phone box at O/S Village Hall Payphone Church Street Tempsford, SG19 2AN – 01767 640203 – is also slated for removal, although as this is a Grade II Listed Building BT would remove the phone and lock the kiosk. Any significant alterations to the structure or its removal, would require listed luilding consent.

Local communities also have the opportunity to adopt a traditional red ‘heritage’ phone box and make it an asset that local people can enjoy.

Adopting a phonebox could mean that the town or parish council, or a registered charity could adopt a given phonebox and retain it for an alternative community use. Some examples of how phone boxes have been used include housing defibrillators, art galleries and libraries. Communities can adopt most red boxes for just £1.

Modern glass boxes can be adopted to house a defibrillator.

Visit BT’s website to find out more.

The survey, which can be found online here, is open until April 15.