ICONIC red phone boxes in and around Malvern are among those facing the axe because they are not being used.

More than 30 phone booths in towns and villages across the district have been earmarked for closure, phone company BT revealed this week.

The company says that with the rise of mobile phones, the use of phone boxes had fallen by over 90 per cent in the last decade, with half of the boxes on the list not being used at all in the last year.

The list includes boxes in urban locations such as Avenue Road or Duke of Edinburgh Way in Malvern, as well as in villages such as Welland and Castlemorton.

Cllr David Chambers, portfolio holder with responsibility for localism on Malvern Hills District Council, said: “We have been notified that BT plans to remove a number of payphones from the district due to a decline in their use.

"We will shortly be contacting parish and town councils to ask them for their views on the proposals and will then pass them on to BT to consider.

"For those traditional red phone boxes that are at risk, BT offers an adopt a kiosk scheme for £1 and we’ll be ensuring parish and town councils are aware of this opportunity as well. If anyone has any comments to make on the proposals then they should contact the relevant parish or town council as soon as possible.”

The consultation period ends on January 8.

A BT spokesman said: "BT is committed to providing a public payphone service, but with usage declining by over 90 per cent in the last decade, we’ve continued to review and remove payphones which are no longer needed.

Any removal of payphones is carried out in strict adherence to the Ofcom guidelines and, where appropriate, with the consent of local authorities. If the local authority does not want us to remove a phone box then we won’t.

"Overall, more than half of our estate is loss-making, with a third making less than one call a month."

The announcement comes in the same week that Worcestershire MPs hit out at poor mobile phone signals in rural areas of the county.

PANEL

Disused classic red phone boxes have found new uses as book libraries, planters, cafes, shoe-shine booths and homes for defibrillators.

Many disused phone boxes have been sold to the members of the public, who have repurposed them as everything from garden sheds to shower booths.

The Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, near Bromsgrove, is home to the National Telephone Kiosk Collection, containing 32 telephone kiosks, including every type used from 1912 to the present day.

Do you think red phone boxes should be saved in your area and what use would you put them to? Call Robert Hale on 01905 742243.

MALVERN HILLS

Avenue Road, Malvern; Upper Howsell Road, Malvern; Clevelode Lane, Guarlford; Clerkenwell Crescent, Malvern; junction Watery Lane/Upper Welland Road, Malvern; junction Thirlstane Road/Court Road, Malvern; junction Trinity Road/Worcester Road, Link Top; West Malvern Road, Malvern; Leigh Sinton Road, Malvern; Tanhouse Lane, Malvern; old bus terminus, West Malvern Road, Malvern; Duke of Edinburgh Way, Malvern; Wells Road, Malvern; Hanley Castle; Drake Street, Welland; Ryall Grove, Upton; Ryall Road, Holly Green; Naunton, Upton: Hanley Road, Upton; Sledge Green caravan park, Upper Pendock; centre of Longdon; post office, Castlemorton; Plume of Feathers, Castlemorton; old post office, Coombe Green; Somers Close, Leigh Sinton; Alfrick Pound; Brockamin, Leigh; outside telephone exchange, Suckley; Main Road, Kempsey; Windmill Lane, Kempsey; Upton Road, Callow End; Malvern Road, Powick; Hospital Lane, Powick; outside Caymans Cottage, Bushley; outside community centre, Welland.

HEREFORDSHIRE

Evendine Lane, Colwall; Orlin Road, Colwall; Jubilee Drive, Upper Colwall.