Dartmoor village cut off after BT breaks rules to remove phone box - twice

A Dartmoor community has been cut off from the outside world after BT removed its only phonebox- twice - without consulting residents.

Manaton is a notorious ‘mobile black spot’ with no mobile phone reception at all in some parts of the village.

Yet a few years ago, telecoms giant BT opted to take away the village’s only phone box without notice, its actions flying in the face of rules which demand a 90-day period in which objections can be made.

On that occasion it bowed to public opinion but replaced the heritage K2 Giles Gilbert Scott box with a modern alternative.

But that too has now disappeared, again without consultation, leaving residents fearful that they’ll not be able to call for help when needed.

Ofcom states: ‘Public call boxes can provide a safety net for people without access to a landline or working mobile phone. In areas with poor mobile coverage, a public call box can be the only option for making calls, including to the emergency services.’

The regulator goes on to list four criteria that prevent a phone box being removed, including ‘evidence that the box is reasonably needed at the site – for example if it is likely to be relied upon in the event of a local emergency’.

Now campaigners want their box back for good.

Villager Emma de la Fosse said: ‘There is no mobile signal at all in our area of Manaton. To get any mobile reception at all we have to drive over to Trendlebere Down or to the top of the village, both are half a mile away’.

‘With the BT digital switchover coming, we won’t have landlines anymore. BT are relying on people having a mobile phone as a back-up in the event that the new digital lines fail in the event of a power outage or tech problem. But what if your entire neighbourhood doesn’t have a mobile signal? That is why it it is so important that BT give Manaton our phone box back’

‘The parish council has never been consulted on the removal of the public call box and neither has Dartmoor National Park Authority, it seems. It’s all a bit of a mystery.

‘And because we don’t have any information about BT’s decision, it makes it impossible to register a complaint with Ofcom.

‘There are many elderly people in the area, plus lots of walkers and tourists. Some residents have had lost tourists knocking on their door asking if they can use their phone as they can’t get a signal on their mobile and the OS map still shows a box here.’

‘At best this situation is inconvenient, at worst it could cost a life.’

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.

‘The rules are the rules and there is no getting around them.’