STEVENSON CONDEMNS LOCAL PHONE BOX CLOSURES

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has condemned BT over plans to remove local phone boxes. Mr Stevenson has spoke out on the news that BT intends to carry out what it describes as ‘payphone rationalisation’ that will see a reduction in the number of payphones in local areas.

Commenting on the announcement Mr Stevenson said:

“While there has been a significant drop in the usage of payphones in recent years I would strongly urge BT to rethink any move to close local pay phones in the Banff & Buchan area. It is in rural areas such as Banff & Buchan where there is still very much a latent need for local phone boxes as mobile phone coverage is limited. This ensures that payphones still remain an important emergency aid as well as means of everyday contact.

“BT seems to forget that maintaining local payphones was a key condition of its privatisation in recognition of a need to create a balance between profitability and accessibility. It seems to me that BT are looking to tilt this balance even further in the favour of profitability that will act to downgrade rural services in my constituency. The need for local services such as local payphones is a pressing concern for my constituents and I aim to make their voice heard.

“If it’s not local post offices or payphones it is some other kind of service that is looking to be deprived from rural communities. We need to maintain local services so as to prevent further rural depopulation which threatens the symbiotic relationship that exists between our urban towns and cities and rural villages. By maintain local services we can protect not only important economic activity but also an important aspect of our cultural heritage.”