BT is in consultation with Aylesbury Vale District Council over the removal of 45 payphones, many of which are in Buckingham, Winslow and the surrounding villages.

Last week, 61 formal notices were also received by South Northants Council for the removal of payphones in Brackley, Towcester and many of the surrounding villages.

Villages in the Vale of Aylesbury that stand to lose one or more payphones include Turweston, Shalstone, Maids Moreton, Chackmore, Thornborough, Finmere, Chetwode, Leckhampstead, Akeley, Little Horwood, Swanbourne, Calvert, Hillesden, Grendon Underwood, Stewkley, Whaddon and Nash.

Communities in south Northants that stand to lose one or more payphones include Evenley, Whitfield, Farthinghoe, Helmdon, Kings Sutton, Weston, Weedon Lois, Greens Norton, Paulerspury, Pattishall, Cold Higham, Silverstone, Whittlebury, Abthorpe, Gayton, Stoke Bruene, Croughton, Yardley Gobion, Potterspury, Grafton Regis, Cosgrove, and Wicken.

Nationally, 60 percent of payphones are unprofitable and around 6,000 'phones are only used for calls once a month. Of the kiosks likely to be removed, more than half are only used once a week.

A spokesperson for BT said the continuing rise of the mobile 'phone was making payphones uneconomical.
She said: "Over the years as usage has declined BT has been constantly reviewing, and where necesssary rationalising, its public payphone estate in order to meet demand."

The iconic red phone boxes are also subject to the removal programme, however those protected under planning rules will remain.

In all cases where there is not a second payphone within 400 metres, BT is required to have consent from the local authority which can only refuse BT's request for removal by showing a clear social need for the 'phone.

One of the payphones BT hopes to remove is in Main Street, Grendon Underwood. Parish clerk, Geoffrey Rowles said: "We have two payphones in the village and I think we would miss either of them considering not everyone has a mobile 'phone. The one opposite the Post Office appears to be used fairly often."

Akeley parish chairman Mike Mortimer, believes their 'phone in Church Hill is vital in case of emergency. He added: "It is a community asset and this is yet another example of something being taken away from the community."

A public consultation on the removal programme in the Vale of Aylesbury ends on Wednesday, July 2. Comments can be posted to BT via AVDC at Planning Services, AVDC, 66 High Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1SD, for the attention of Rosemarie Atkinson.