The version of the OFTEL Specified Numbering Scheme dated 21 August 2000 includes designations that presumably pave the way for renumbering to 8-digit numbers. It looks as if two separate schemes are involved - one for the East Midlands and another for the West Midlands, which will presumably take the (024) code already in use for Coventry.
The version of the OFTEL Specified Numbering Scheme dated 5 March 2001 (with a correction in the version dated 17 April 2001) modified the previous plan slightly, affecting:
01789 Stratford-upon-Avon (34 replaced 39)
01926 Leamington Spa (39 replaced 59)
01384 Dudley (59 replaced 61)
These changes are included below.
However, no formal announcements have yet been made regarding renumbering in these areas, and OFTEL have indicated that no changes will take place without public consulation, so please do not assume that that renumbering will take place as indicated, or, indeed, at all.
DE code(s)
20 01922 Walsall 21 01564 Lapworth, 01675/01676 Meriden 22 01938 Welshpool# 23 01531 Ledbury, 01989 Ross-on-Wye 24 25 26 27 28 29 01543 Lichfield
30 01562 Kiddermister 31 01743 Shrewsbury 32 33 01432 Hereford 34 01789 Stratford-Upon-Avon 35 36 37 01788 Rugby@ 38 39 01926 Warwick@
40 01873 Abergavenny#, 01981 Golden Valley# 41 01497 Hay-on-Wye#, 01544 Kington# 42 43 01299 Bewdley 44 45 46 47 01952 Telford 48 01588 Craven Arms#, 01694 Church Stretton 49 01538 Leek*
50 51 01948 Whitchurch# 52 01684 Malvern 53 54 55 56 57 58 01584 Ludlow 59 01384 Dudley
60 01547 Knighton*#, 01568 Leominster*, 01885/01886 Bromyard 61 62 63 01691 Oswestry# 64 65 66 67 68 69 01538 Leek*, 01889 Uttoxeter
70 01600 Monmouth# 71 72 73 01782 Stoke-on-Trent@ 74 01547 Knighton*#, 01568 Leominster* 75 76 already in use for Coventry@ 77 78 01827 Tamworth@ 79
80 0121 (Birmingham) 81 0121 (Birmingham) 82 0121 Birmingham (for 2xx xxxx) 83 0121 Birmingham (for 3xx xxxx) 84 0121 Birmingham (for 4xx xxxx) 85 0121 Birmingham (for 5xx xxxx) 86 0121 Birmingham (for 6xx xxxx) 87 0121 Birmingham (for 7xx xxxx) 88 0121 (Birmingham) 89 0121 (Birmingham)
90 01386 Evesham 91 01905 Worcester 92 01527 Redditch 93 01902 Wolverhampton 94 95 01283 Burton-On-Trent@ 96 01785 Stafford 97 01746 Bridgnorth 98 01630 Market Drayton, 01939 Wem 99 (not available)
* These number groups appear twice in the list, presumably reflecting alternative options of renumbering the groups separately, or of "combining" the groups. "DE" blocks already in use in any of the areas potentially to be combined have been "protected" in the others.
# These number groups were also included in the earlier "All Wales" scheme.
@ These areas could be intended to be in either the "East Midlands" scheme or the "West Midlands" scheme. The boundary between the two schemes is not clearly defiined.