MORE than 60 public phone boxes in Breckland are to be axed under a 'rationalisation' plan by BT.The phone giant has gone out to consultation on its plans to get rid of 65 phone boxes in the area.

MORE than 60 public phone boxes in Breckland are to be axed under a 'rationalisation' plan by BT.

The phone giant has gone out to consultation on its plans to get rid of 65 phone boxes in the area.

And while many have not been used even once in a whole year, there are some which are used on average more than seven times per day, according to BT's own figures.

Those facing the axe include a payphone in Shipdham Road, Dereham, used 1,353 days in one year, or 3.7 times per day on average, and one on Anne Bartholomew Road, Thetford, used 2,635 times in a year, or 7.2 times per day.

Another eight had been used between 575 and 180 times in a year.

But BT says many are never used and that almost 60pc of its public payphones were unprofitable.

Of the 65, 16 had not been used in

a year, 20 fewer than 10 times in a

year, nine were used fewer than

20 times and five fewer than 40

times. Two were used fewer than 100 times.

Breckland Council has invited every parish or town which is set to lose a phone box to a special meeting of its overview and scrutiny commission on May 29 to look at the issue.

A statement from BT on the closures said: “BT is committed to providing a public payphone service, however over the years as usage has declined BT has been constantly reviewing and, where necessary, rationalising its public payphone estate in order to meet demand.

“This is nothing new, and we will continue to do so. Almost 60pc of our payphones are unprofitable, with almost 6,000 phones making less than one call a month.

“Any removal of unprofitable payphones is carried out in strict adherence to the Ofcom guidelines and where appropriate with the consent of the local communities.

“UK-wide, less than one call a week is made from more than half the kiosks in the consultation, and less than one call a month is made from a third.”

Others boxes up for the axe include:

Moorgate Road, Dereham, used 331 times in a year; Glebe Close, Thetford, 575; Hockwold Road, Weeting, 381; West Tofts Road, Mundford, 340; Swaffham Road, Mundford, 321; Norwich Road, Watton, 330; The Green, Caston, 180; Primrose Square, Swanton Morley, 156.

Most others on the list were used either no times during a year or little above that.

The consultation with BT is due to end on July 2.