TWO of Chorleywood's six payphones have been earmarked for removal after phone giant BT announced they were being run at a loss.

Following a review of the payphones by BT, it was decided that two should be ripped out.

The move is part of a national scheme to cut back on public phones, because of an increase in mobile phone ownership. According to BT the number of calls made from BT payphones has halved in the past three years.

Chorleywood Parish Councillor Leonard Spencer said the council would be writing to BT to object to the proposed removal.

Of the six street phones in Chorleywood parish, one is loss making. BT are proposing to remove two payphones within the parish. The first in Lower Road is to be removed as there is another payphone within 100 metres at Whitelands Avenue.

The second is at the junction of Parkfield and Rickmansworth Road.

Mr Spencer said: "The central one in Lower Road is needed for social reasons. There are a number of people in that area without telephones and also it is used as a pick up point for people coming off the train."

He said the other phone, near to junction 18 of the motorway was often used by motorists.