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Fifteen payphones to go in
Inishowen
02.02.09
Two ‘old style’
payphones escape axe
FIFTEEN payphones across Inishowen have been
targeted for removal by Eircom in the near future
according to figures released by the phone company
at the weekend.
According to Eircom a total of one hundred and
eleven payphones across Donegal are being targeted
for removal under the scheme, which will see over
2,000 payphones removed across the country.
A spokesperson for the company, Dearbhaill Rossiter
told the Inishowen Independent that Eircom currently
operates approximately 4,850 public payphones
nationwide but said the company is currently
reviewing this requirement.
“Eircom continuously monitors payphones for levels
of customer usage and in the last 5 years there has
been a decline in call volumes from payphones of
more than 80%. Beginning in April, Eircom intends to
remove 2,151 payphones nationwide because there has
been very low, and in some cases no customer usage
over a sustained period,” she said. |
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Among the one hundred
and eleven payphones earmarked to be removed in
Donegal are six payphones in Carndonagh, two in
Buncrana, two in Moville, two in Bridgend, two in
Clonmany, one in Greencastle, one in Malin Head and
one in Speenogue.
However she added that prior to the removal of any
payphone eircom will commence a public consultation
process.
“Removal notification notices will be placed on all
targeted payphones for a minimum of six weeks.
Additionally letters will be issued to all relevant
Local Authorities informing them of the
rationalisation programme in their area,” the Eircom
spokesperson said.
She added that local residents and |
relevant authorities
will be given an opportunity to submit their views
in writing to Eircom before 16th March 2009 and said
that all views received will be taken into account
before a final decision is made on the removal of
any payphone.
This is not the first time in recent years that the
company has removed payphones, and in August 2007
the company announced that it would remove five
payphones.
At the time local councillor Rena Donaghey welcomed
the removal of some of the payphones in Buncrana
which she said, had become an easy target for
vandals and as a result had become an “eyesore.”
However not every locality in Inishowen would be
quite as keen to have their phone box removed and
there will no doubt be relief that the ‘old style’
phone boxes in Malin and Carrowmenagh which have
become tourist attractions in their own right have
escaped the Eircom axe. (Inishowen Independent) |
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