Manaton villagers left without lifeline as BT removes only phone box - twice

Residents of Manaton say their village has been “cut off” after BT removed its only public phone box not once, but twice, and both times without consulting the community.

The Dartmoor parish is already a notorious ‘mobile black spot', with large areas having no signal. Locals say the removal of the box has left them more vulnerable, particularly in emergencies.

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Villager Emma de la Fosse said: “The reason the lack of a phone box is a pressing issue for Manaton now is because BT have taken away our landlines and replaced them with lines that use broadband as part of The BT big digital switchover. In the event of a power cut or a technical problem those new digital lines will fail.

"If that happens BT are telling people to just use their mobiles. It's BT's backup plan. But we can't use mobiles. The only way we'd be able to make a phone call in an emergency is our phone box… which BT have removed!”

The first attempt to take the phone box, several years ago, was made without notice and against rules requiring a 90-day consultation period.

Following a public outcry, BT agreed to reinstate a phone box - but replaced the original red K2 Giles Gilbert Scott design with a modern unit that residents say was unreliable on Dartmoor.

More recently, the box was taken away again.

Manaton Parish Council said they were not contacted about the removal and have no record of any consultation from BT.

Devon County Councillor Sally Morgan, who is also a member of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: “I’m aware of the situation and will do what I can to ensure that BT at least provides an explanation regarding its actions but better still, gives Manaton residents peace of mind in the shape of a working public phone box.”