New Partnership With BT

As part of our continuing work keeping the Quarter clean, tidy and ready for a wider return to the Quarter, we have been working with BT over the last year to improve the maintenance regime of the local payphones and are pleased to let you know that BT has agreed to a twice-a-month maintenance programme.  

This will go a long way to improve the appearance and safety of this important public service. While phone box use has greatly reduced since the advent of mobile phones, phone booths are still used by children, the elderly, people who can’t afford mobile phones, and in emergencies when smartphone batteries go flat. BT’s maintenance will also free up more time for our Environment Manager Al to focus his attention on other areas of the Quarter, and changes what was a reactive cleaning service to a proactive one.  

Of course, our Street Safety Team remain constantly vigilant around phone boxes, and our Street Environment Manager reports to the police and BT where graffiti or anti-social behaviour has occurred. A recent audit of working phone boxes confirmed that seven were working and three did not create a dial tone, so these phone boxes have been reported for repair.