Payphone Consultation

Payphone colsultation Letter from British Telecam to Flintshire County Council

BT Payphones,

PP 05A23 ,

Delta Point,

Wellesley Road,

CROYDON,

CR9 2YZ.

Chief Executive

Flintshire County Council

County Hall

Mold

Flintshire

CH7 6NB

12 May 2008

TIME SENSITIVE - 90 Day Consultation period end date: 06 September 2008

Dear Mr Colin Everett

BT’s proposal to re-align payphone provision to meet consumer demand.

As part of BT’s Universal Service Obligation it is required to provide adequate coverage of public payphones. In recent years the needs of consumers have changed drastically with the increase in mobile phone ownership leading to a complete change in the communications culture throughout the UK - the number of calls made from BT payphones has more than halved in the last three years. Ninety nine per cent of UK homes now have a phone at home and 90 per cent have a mobile phone. There are currently 61,792 public payphones in Great Britain and 60% of these no longer cover their costs.

Striking a balance between the growing commercial pressures and providing an effective payphone service is vital, and BT has managed to keep its payphone business viable by careful management of costs. However, this challenge is becoming ever more demanding, so BT constantly needs to review payphone usage and on occasions looks to re-align the public payphone provision more closely to the reducing demand that still exists.

On the 14 th March 2006 the Office of Communications (Ofcom) published a statement following their 2005 review of universal service in the Telecommunications market. Part of that statement (which can be viewed at www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/uso/uso_statement/) amended BT’s obligations with regard to the removal of payphone service.

In compliance with those revised obligations BT is writing to you as part of a formal consultation process regarding BT’s current programme of proposed public payphone removals.

One of the changes introduced following the review is that there is no longer a requirement for BT to consult on the removal of a public payphone which has another payphone within 400m. Out of courtesy we are advising you that there are a number of these payphones within Sir y Fflint - Flintshire which we will be addressing over the forthcoming months. Additionally there are currently 24 public payphones which are little used by consumers and are therefore proposed by BT for removal under full consultation. Details of these boxes are shown on the enclosed sheets which include telephone number and address on a box by box basis.

Notices will be posted on or before 8 th June 2008, on which date the formal consultation period will start.

What you need to do next

The enclosed list details the payphones which BT wishes to consult on within Sir y Fflint - Flintshire.

Part of Ofcom’s review in 2005 states that it is the responsibility of the local authority to initiate its own consultation process to canvas the views of the local community, and that they would normally expect these consultations to involve other public organisations such as the parish or community councils.

Notifications of your final decision should include all justifications as BT may wish to challenge any unreasonable objections within the provisions of the appeals process.

Full guidance on the removal process can be viewed at the following URL:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/uso/uso_statement/removals.pdf

and a plain English version is available at:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/uso/uso_statement/uso_plain_english/removing_callboxes.pdf

The consultation period will close on 06 September 2008 and responses received after this date will not be accepted. Please allow at least two days for postal delivery, and kindly note that proof of postage may be required in instances of dispute. If you are responding by email, please retain proof of despatch or apply a read receipt. Payphones will normally be removed as soon as practicable after the consultation period has ended.

We recognise that there may be concerns about our plans and that you may wish to discuss the content of this notification. Should your comments relate to a particular phone box, please clearly show the telephone number of the kiosk on your correspondence. This will ensure that we are able to deal with your enquiry efficiently.

All correspondence should be addressed to us at BT Payphones, PP 05A23, Delta Point, Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 2YZ or via email to btp.authorisation.team@bt.com. Please note that all responses should be collated and channelled via a single point of contact for your authority.

Yours sincerely,

Rick Thompson sigature
RICK THOMPSON

Project Liaison Office, BT Payphones

Sir y Fflint - Flintshire

Telephone Number	Address	Post Code	Agree/ Object	Comments/Reasons
01244371472	1pco, Ferry Lane, Higher Ferry, Chester	CH1 6QF
01244813128	1pco, Sealand Road, Sealand, Chester	CH1 6BS
01244813194	1pco, Wharfdale Ave, Connahs Quay, Deeside	CH5 4TH
01352710412	1pco, Rayon Road, Greenfield, Holywell	CH8 7EU
01352720200	1pco, High Street, Caerwys, Mold	CH7 5BB
01352720242	1pco, Pen Y Cefn Road, Caerwys, Mold	CH7 5BH
01352720257	1pco, Mold Road, Mold	CH7 6TE
01352720384	Layby - A541, 1pco, Denbigh Road, Afonwen, Mold	CH7 5UB
01352720439	Babell P O, 1pco, Babell, Holywell	CH8 8PY
01352731842	Opp Dovey Close, 1pco, Bryn Glas, Flint	CH6 5XP
01352733254	1pco, Ffordd Glyndwr, Flint	CH6 5JX
01352740108	Star Crossing Cilcain, 1pco, Star Crossing Rd, Cilcain, Mold	CH7 5NW
01352741211	Denbigh/mold Road, 1pco, Denbigh Road, Mold	CH7 1BL
01352752343	Post Off, New Brighton Mold Road, New Brighton, Mold, Clwyd	CH7 6RD
01352752777	Opposite Queens Head, 1pco, Chester Road, Mold	CH7 1UQ
01352753355	Glyndwr Hotel, 1pco, Glyndwr Road, Gwernymynydd, Mold	CH7 5LP

Signature: ………………………………………..

Area: Sir y Fflint - Flintshire

Job Title: ……………………………………..

Please return this to:

BT Payphones, PP 05A23 , Delta Point, Wellesley Road, CROYDON, CR9 2YZ

by 06 September 2008