BT is planning to remove 21 public payphones across Taunton and the surrounding area.

A 90-day consultation on the future of the kiosks lasts until November 4.

Consultation notices have been placed on the affected phone boxes.

Rick Thompson, BT payphone planning officer, said: "Overall use of payphones has declined by over 90 per cent in the last decade and the need to provide payphone for use in emergency situations is diminishing all the time, with at least 98 per cent of the UK having either 3G or 4G coverage.

"This is important because as long as there is network coverage, it's now possible to call the emergency services, even when there is no credit or no coverage from your own mobile provider."

Communities are being given the chance to adopt decommissioned red 'heritage' phone boxes to convert them into "an asset that local people can enjoy".

The kiosks cost just £1 and examples of their use include book loans, honesty sales of for example vegetables and art.

The kiosks BT proposes removing - with the number of calls made from them in the last 12 months are:

TAUNTON:

*Priorswood (83).

*Middleway (8).

*Normandy Drive (109).

*Cheddon Road (72).

*Crowcombe Road (3).

*Eastwick Road (167).

*Ladymead Road (0).

*Wordsworth Drive (56).

*Galmington Road (17).

*Holway Green (161).

OTHER LOCATIONS:

*Staplegrove (3).

*Monkton Heathfield (24).

*Near the church at Corfe (0)

*Slough Green (0).

*The Pavement, North Curry (16).

*Honiton Road, Churchinford (0).

*Plain Pond, Wiveliscombe (0).

*West Street, Wiveliscombe (78).

*Langley Marsh (0).

*Bathealton (0).

*Opposite the Rock Inn, Waterrow (0).