BT reveals axe to fall on 15 payphones in Dundee

The company revealed proposals in October last year to close 15 of the city’s 125 public payphones following a 90% decline in usage over the last 10 years.

Now, BT has announced it will press ahead and remove all 15 boxes.

Those to be culled are spread right across the city and include two in Charleston, two in Fintry and two in Whitfield.

Three of the phone boxes weren’t used at all last year, but Charleston’s Craigowan Road was used 1,161 times to make calls.

Stella Carrington of the Charleston Tenants and Residents Association, branded the removal of phone boxes in the areas as “disgraceful”.

She said: “That’s the only two we have in Charleston, the one on South Road and the other on Craigowan Road.

“I can’t believe they haven’t at least

“It’s fair enough taking away the ones that aren’t used but not the rest. I know a lot of people say the Craigowan one is only used by drug users.

“But I don’t think that’s the case, there’s still people that need it.

“I really thought BT would have thought more about people in the area and I will be getting in touch with a few people about this to see if anything can be done.”

A BT spokeswoman said: “We initially proposed to remove in the region of 1,500 payphones (30% of the current estate) in Scotland over the next three years. “Following the consultations with local planning authorities in Scotland, we have agreed to remove 947 payphones, and we are in discussions with local communities on the adoption of 111 red kiosks.

“This means that around 3,840 payphones will remain in Scotland.”

MORE than a dozen phone boxes are to be taken off the streets of Dundee following a consultation by BT.