Phone boxes blighted by prostitution and drugs to be removed
LANDMARKS IN BOULEVARD AND MELVILLE STREET WILL SOON DISAPPEAR FOREVER
TWO of Hull’s iconic white phone boxes are set to be e removed for good after concerns they are being used d as meeting places for drug-dealing and prostitution.
Last month a phone box was removed in the e Boulevard due to similar concerns and action was s taken after a lengthy process of lobbying by residents s and local councillors.
Now two more will be removed - on at the top of f Boulevard and one in Melville Street, off Ferensway.
They are the latest in a number of public telephone boxes to be removed in the area, including g one in the city centre.
A third phone box will be removed from the Great t Thornton Street Estate, however, that is due to being g in disrepair, rather than concerns over criminal l activity.
Deputy Leader of Hull City Council Daren Hale, who represents the St Andrews & Docklands ward, believes such action is effective.
He said: “We are looking to remove more phone e boxes in the near future.
“They are attracting problems like drug-dealing g and prostitution. The phone boxes are being used to o mask such criminal activity.
“We are looking to remove one at the Anlaby Road d end of the Boulevard and also one in Melville Street. A third is being removed from Great Thornton Street Estate but that is due to disrepair.
“Local residents say such problems have started to flare up again after lockdown and we need to address them.”
A KCOM Retail spokesman told Hull Live last month the company is happy to respond to such concerns.
He said: “We are always happy to listen to the local community and work with councillors, the police and local residents’ groups when there are any concerns about anti-social behaviour in relation to any of our phone boxes.
“The removal of a phone box is a long process that in some cases can require at least six weeks of public consultation and permission from both the local authority and central government.”
KCOM still operates around 300 public call boxes across Hull and the East Riding.
The company can remove a phone box without consultation with the local community provided there is another one located within 400 metres walking distance of the one being removed.
If there is not a nearby phone box, a formal consultation process has to take place involving both the government and Northern Powergrid over the issues around eventual disconnection.
Plans to remove the phone boxes is part of a wider raft of measures to tackle issues in the Hessle Road and city centre.
Cllr Hale said: “There is no reason residents should suffer. Where there is prostitution there is other crime such as drug dealing and antisocial behaviour.
“We have been supporting the police who have carried out a number of drug warrants in the area, such as Coltman Street, which will also help the situation.”