David Ruffley MP is consulting rural villages in his constituency following BT's proposal to remove 53 public payphones across West Suffolk.

David has written to parish councils offering his support if they wish to retain their village payphone against the wishes of BT and, in some cases, against the draft decision of St Edmundsbury Borough Council.

David has also criticised BT for not informing him directly, as the local Member of Parliament, about their proposals which affect a large number of his rural constituents and for spinning their decision as 'an invitation to adopt red telephone kiosks'. Communities can only adopt a kiosk at a cost of £1 once the telephone inside has been removed!

David said:

'For some rural villages in my constituency, these payphones are a vital community resource.

'Although many of these payphones are used only infrequently they may nevertheless be a vital resource for people without a landline or mobile- or for use in an emergency.

'If the local community is happy to have the payphone removed because it's genuinely not needed, then adopting the iconic red kiosk for heritage purposes is fine.

'However, I am concerned that in some villages BT is trying to remove a payphone that is well used- for example the payphone in The Street, Pakenham was used for 152 calls in twelve months.

'Where a village wants to keep its payphone, I will do all I can to support them.'

Notes

1. Payphones where St Edmundsbury Borough Council is in agreement with BT over their removal:

Figure after name denotes number of calls in 12 months.

All have full mobile coverage, i.e. O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange.

Ampton 20

Bradfield St Clare 3

Bradfield Combust 0

Bradfield St George 0

Great Livermere 1

Pakenham - Grimstone End 4

Pinford End, Hawstead 1

2. Payphones where St Edmundsbury Borough Council is objecting to their removal:

Figure after name denotes number of calls in 12 months.

All except Stanningfield have full mobile coverage, i.e. O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange.

Fornham All Saints 25

Great Barton, Livermere Rd 68

Ingham 28

Pakenham - The Street 152

Rougham - Kingshall Street 0

Rougham - The Downs 22

Troston 0

Stanningfield 34 no T-Mobile or Orange