As mobile phones become more and more popular, the famous telephone kiosk is being less and less, but why cutback on our red boxes?

There are things you can do to save red kiosks, but mainly if they are in your local area, this means you can relate to the box, and know about the area (such as if the local people use the telephone, and if the kiosk gets vandalised, etc.)

If you think your local kiosk is under threat, check inside the kiosk for a 'Telephone Cutbacks', or 'Notice' (or similar) and read what it says, normally something along the lines of 'this kiosk is not being used enough, and we are proposing to remove this kiosk, and there are other facilities in the nearby area'. Before BT can remove a kiosk, they must check with the local council, who will then decide. Many local newspapers report about kiosks under threat, and might list them.

Also, check for a date on the notice, this should be when that particular notice was put in that kiosk, and normally after a month, BT start the process of removing the kiosk, starting with the electrics for the light being disconnected, normally by a contracted company. However the phone still works, until a while after, when BT take it out, leaving the kiosk empty, and ready to be removed.

But, you probably want to save yours? Here's what you can do to help save the kiosk;

• Write to the BT Pay Phone department, complaining about the removal
• Write to your local council in protest at the kiosks' removal
• Get other local residents to write to the above people - this means than one person doesn't agree with the proposed removal

And if that doesn't help (both of the above probably would've replied with their answer);

• Get in contact with a local councillor (check with your local authority to find out who they are, and a way of contacting them)
• Get in contact with your local MP (again, check with your local authority to find out who they are, and a way of contacting them)
• Start a petition, by getting local people to sign it, and then send it to BT Pay Phones
• You could also get in contact with your local newspaper - they always want local stories, that's why they're there!

Remember: when getting in contact with anyone about the removal of a service, get a good argument, think of the kiosks' plus points (such as, low/no vandalism, in an area which relies on it), as you want the service to stay. Sadly enough, just saying the kiosk is red/a K6, will not be good enough (as I know through experience!), because to BT, it's just a money-losing kiosk, red or not.

BT no longer replace red kiosks/K6's with KX's/modern kiosks in bulk, but there's always the chance they might still replace a few, which is sad. One of the best things to do is to get your kiosk listed, many K6 kiosks are now Grade II listed buildings; BT has been caught out with this, and replaced K6's with KX's, and so have had to replace them again with a K6!

If you want to get a kiosk listed, you must write to the Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) (address below), with details of the kiosk, and why it should be listed, any other relevant information, and, if possible, a map of the local area. There is no application form for this, however.

Then, after the DCMS have received your application/proposal, they send the case on to English Heritage, where it is then logged, and passed to the relevant inspector, who will investigate it further.

 

As for as we know, there are currently no campaigns running at present.

If you know, part of, or are running a campaign to save piece of 'red heritage' - get in contact!