TOURISTS WILL be badly affected by plans to shut down telephone boxes in Kerry, according to councillors who are calling on Eircom to reverse plans to shut down 129 of the county’s telephone kiosks.
Countrywide, Eircom plans to close 2,151, or just under half, of its phone boxes because of what it says are lack of usage.
Independent Kerry councillor Brendan Cronin says the closure of the kiosks in Kerry, a county with widely dispersed coastal and mountain communities, will have a detrimental effect on tourists as well as on locals.
Several kiosks are earmarked for closure on tourist routes such as the Ring of Kerry and Valentia Island, Mr Cronin said.
An emergency motion by Mr Cronin calling on Eircom to retain the kiosks was passed at the January meeting of Kerry County Council and the council has now written to Eircom outlining its concerns.
Yesterday, Cllr Michael Healy-Rae (Ind) said the closure of the kiosk at the Black Valley in the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks was particularly worrying. The remote valley has complained of poor coverage for over three decades.
Eircom is now investing in a state-of-the art wireless system for the valley, but Mr Healy-Rae has told Eircom the public phone box in a valley which attracts thousands of hill walkers and pony trekkers should be retained.
The public notice by Eircom on the side of the Black Valley phone box states that the nearest phone booth is at College Square, Killarney, over 20 kilometres from the valley.
“I am campaigning very hard to retain the Black Valley [phone box] and hope common sense will prevail,” he said.
The public has until March 16th to submit its views on phone boxes designated for removal.