Central Bedfordshire Council has received notice from BT (British Telecom) that a review has identified 10 public payphones in the area as being no longer needed.
BT has evaluated these payphones based on the criteria outlined in Ofcom’s Review of the telephony universal service obligation. Notices have been affixed to these payphones, and Central Bedfordshire Council is expected to provide a formal response to BT by 24 May 2025.
Since CBC no longer holds decision-making authority in this matter, they are unable to conduct a formal consultation. Instead, they are conducting an engagement survey to gather the opinions of local communities regarding the proposals.
This survey will help gather evidence to shape their response. The survey is open from Tuesday 25 March until Tuesday 15 April 2025 and you can access it online from their survey webpage: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/surveys.
The list of the payphones that BT are planning to remove include:
1. Junction Lynton Avenue PCO1 High Street Arlesey, SG15 6SN – 01462 735260
2. Opposite Lloyds Bank PCO1 High Street Biggleswade, SG18 0JD – 01767 315702
3. Junction Station Road PCO1 Cambridge Road Langford Biggleswade, SG18 9PL – 01462 700289
4. Junction Dunstable Road PCO1 Manor Road Caddington Luton, LU1 4ED – 01582 453594
5. Junction Turnpike Road PCO1 Horsepool Lane Husborne Crawley Bedford, MK43 0XD – 01525 280212
6. Brickworks PCO1 Marston Road Marston Moretaine Bedford, MK43 0PP – 01525 404065
7. O/S Ate High Steet PCO1 Eversholt Road Ridgmont Bedford, MK43 0TT – 01525 280260
8. * O/S Village Hall Payphone Church Street Tempsford Sandy, SG19 2AN – 01767 640203
9. Junction Church Path PCO1 London Road Sandy, SG19 1EX – 01767 680611
10. Pco Pco1 Lancotbury Close Totternhoe Dunstable, LU6 1RQ – 01582 662115
*Number eight based in Tempsford Sandy is a Grade II Listed Building and BT is proposing to remove the telephone and lock the kiosk. Any significant alterations to the structure or its removal, however, would require Listed Building Consent.
The survey ends on Tuesday 15 April 2025.