CONCERNS have been raised after BT announced 16 phone boxes could be removed from remote areas in Dwyfor.

BT says the phone boxes are “no longer viable” and that the use of payphones has declined by over 90 per cent in the last decade.

Amongst the pay phones earmarked for removal are four in Criccieth, one in Penmorfa, one in Bryncir, two in Garndolbenmaen, one in Llithfaen, one in Llwyndyrys, one in Rhoshirwaun, one in Aberdaron, three in Tudweiliog and one in Porthmadog.

Figures released by BT show that a majority of these phone boxes have not been used at all in the last year, while some were only used to make three calls.

However, a phone box in Aberdaron was used 57 times and a phone box in Tudweiliog was used 17 times in the last year.

The phone box situated at Tyn Rhos in Criccieth has been used 26 times and in nearby Llanystumdwy, 10 calls were made.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts says these figures show that there is still a need for phone boxes in rural areas, especially in areas such as Aberdaron, which suffer with a lack of mobile phone signal.

Read the full story in this Thursday’s Arfon/Dwyfor edition of the Cambrian News