A Brighton MP is urging people to protest against plans to scrap some public phone boxes.

Communications giant BT intends to get rid of a number of surplus kiosks in Brighton and Hove.

It insisted it would not leave any areas without sufficient telephone cover.

But Brighton Pavilion Labour MP David Lepper warned the move could lead to the elimination of the traditional call box.

BT is carrying out a review of 30,000 unprofitable payphones around Britain. It plans to remove 12,000 classified as "under-used" during the next 12 months.

BT Payphones spokesman Les King said: "We intend to remove some phone boxes from the Brighton and Hove area but these will only be where they are not being used or where there are several boxes in one place, like three in a row, or two on opposite sides of a road.

"The intention is to thin out the number of boxes while keeping a good geographical cover. We will not be taking away the last box in rural areas."

Mr Lepper said he believed the move was the thin end of the wedge.

He said: "I am a pedestrian rather than a car driver and I often see groups of boxes with all of them occupied. I think we are at the beginning of a very dangerous process which could eventually lead to the elimination of the traditional call box.

"I hope there will be a strong protest, not only from BT customers, but also by Brighton and Hove City Council."

There are 939 payphones with the 01273 code. Mr King said BT had not yet identified how many or which ones would be removed. A trial removal scheme is under way in Leeds.

Just before Christmas BT announced that, due to a drop in customer demand, it would review street phone boxes to prepare for a multimedia future.

The number of calls made from call boxes has dipped by a third during the last two years, largely because of the increase in mobile phones.

That is in contrast with a growing demand for public internet, email and text messaging terminals.

In November telecoms watchdog Oftel proposed it should be easier for companies to remove pay phones from multiple sites in recognition of reduced demand.

BT welcomed the flexibility, saying it would allow it to be more responsive to customers' changing communications needs.