A HISTORIC red BT phone box in St John’s could soon be removed – with councillors fighting to save it.
The iconic red telephone box on the junction of Bransford Road and Malvern Road is set to be removed by BT which claims it is not used enough to warrant keeping it.
However, councillors are pushing back against the proposal, arguing that the historical and functional importance of the phone box means it should be kept.
Alan Amos, Worcestershire County councillor for Bedwardine, said: “While most people nowadays do have a mobile phone, there will be some, for whatever reason, who do not own one, and others may not possess one for different reasons.
“People must have a choice.
These telephone boxes are an iconic piece of our British heritage and should not be discarded as rubbish.
“They can still be seen throughout the world as a reminder of our great British Empire, and we should protect them as such.
The bottom line must be that, if BT want to disable it, then it must still be left as a reminder of our glorious history.”
Cllr Amos also highlighted how the people most likely to be affected by the loss of the phone would be the elderly and people on the lowest incomes.
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Richard Udall, Worcester City councillor for St John’s, has also called for the phone box to be kept, and has even called for it to be given listed status to protect it.
He said: “I know parents who have been contacted by their children who don’t have a mobile phone, or when their phones are not working or have been stolen.
“It’s also useful for emergency 999 calls, which may not be chargeable but can still be made from the phone, providing an essential public service.
“This is one of the last remaining red phone boxes in St John’s. It serves an important function to enable people without access to a mobile to use it in an emergency, and its an iconic that is a historical part of the St John’s street scene.
“Whatever happens, the structure needs to stay in St John’s.”
A spokesperson for BT said: “We are currently consulting with Worcester City Council on the proposed removal of the payphone on Bransford Road.
“This 90-day consultation gives the local authority the opportunity to raise objections and provide evidence for consideration before a final decision is made.”