It’s broadband pole wars: Furious Yorkshire locals use their cars to stop telecoms workmen from installing 500 ugly masts in ‘Battle of Hedon’ – as residents take direct action to block the 30ft high ‘eyesores’
- The protest in Hedon, East Yorkshire, forced telecoms workers to abandon jobs
- READ: £20,000 knocked off value of homes by broadband mast, families fear
Furious Yorkshire locals have used their cars to stop telecoms workmen from installing 500 ugly telegraph poles in their town.
The people of Hedon, East Yorkshire, have vowed to boycott any internet provider who decides to use the 30ft high wooden ‘eyesores’ to install the high-speed broadband, insisting cables should go underground instead.
Yesterday the protest action forced telecoms workers to abandon their jobs.
Locals are furious that MS3, the company that is putting up the poles to carry the broadband fibre optic cables, were allowed to do so having given just 28 days notice.
Some poles will block driveways and ruin views, protestors claim, who say they are happy with the broadband they already have from local telecommunications firm KCOM, via underground wires.
Yorkshire locals have used their cars to stop telecoms workmen from installing 500 ugly telegraph poles in their town
The people of Hedon, East Yorkshire, have vowed to boycott any internet provider who decides to use the 30ft high wooden ‘eyesores’ to install the high-speed broadband
Julie Dervy, 60, has lived on Hedon for forty years, and is part a member of the campaign group ‘Hedon Says No to MS3 Telegraph Poles’
Resident Carol Hunter has also spoken out about the telegraph poles
Only two holes got dug before the workmen had to abandon the job due to the protests
People have expressed surprise that poles can be put up without firms having to go through the traditional planning process. It follows a change in the law to allow broadband infrastructure to be installed under ‘permitted development’ rules, meaning companies are only required to give 28 days’ notice to local authorities.
Scores of people parked their cars on Shields Road yesterday to prevent an MS3 lorry and trucks being able to park up themselves.
Only two holes got dug before the workmen had to abandon the job – with a protestor then parked her car over the hole.
Police were called to the situation but no action has been taken.
Julie Dervy, 60, has lived on Hedon for forty years, and is part a member of the campaign group ‘Hedon Says No to MS3 Telegraph Poles’.
She said: ‘About six weeks ago we woke up to find notices from the council telling us we were going to have this happening here.
‘There is already to infrastructure underground for broadband. We don’t want these eyesores on our streets.
‘We have parked out cars to make it difficult for a big lorry to get down. Other cars and ambulances can get by though.’
Retired nurse Joyce Whittle, 62, said: ‘We need to raise awareness to everybody in the country that this can take place on their streets’
Ms Dervy said: ‘About six weeks ago we woke up to find notices from the council telling us we were going to have this happening here’
People have expressed surprise that poles can be put up without firms having to go through the traditional planning process
Ms Dervy said: ‘There is already to infrastructure underground for broadband. We don’t want these eyesores on our streets’
A sign in the town reads ‘Hedon says no to the MS3 poles’
READ MORE: Families fear their homes have had £20,000 knocked off the value of them by 50ft-high broadband mast put up on their doorstep
Joanne Clixby, 54, said: ‘I don’t like how MS3 are riding roughshod over the people of Hedon and they are lying that KCOM won’t allow them to use their infrastructure in Hedon.’
Mrs Clixby questioned why MS3 did not go to Ofcom to resolve the issue. She is annoyed that MS3 used the ‘permitted development’ rules, which denied anybody the chance to object to the planning authority.
Retired nurse Joyce Whittle, 62, said: ‘We need to raise awareness to everybody in the country that this can take place on their streets.
‘We want to change the rules of permitted developments, which the Government brought in last year to allow these telecom companies to come into an area and tell people they are going to put up poles and then, 28 days later, turn up, dig holes where they want to and erect them.
‘There has been no consultation and we did not get a chance to object to the council.
‘We managed to delay the work on Monday on a different street and today they had to leave the street at lunchtime, having done very little.
‘We are going to do are damndest to stop them putting up the poles.’
Ray Duffill, 60, said more than 1,000 households have signed a petition promising to boycott any internet provider who uses the MS3 infrastructure for ten years.
Residents are furious about the new telegraph poles which they see as an eyesore
Locals are furious that MS3, the company that is putting up the poles on which to carry the broadband fibre optic cables, were allowed to do so having given just 28 days’ notice
Ms Whittle said: ‘We want to change the rules of permitted developments, which the Government brought in last year to allow these telecom companies to come into an area’
Joanne Clixby, 54, said: ‘I don’t like how MS3 are riding roughshod over the people of Hedon and they are lying that KCOM won’t allow them to use their infrastructure in Hedon’
Ray Duffill, 60, said more than 1,000 households have signed a petition promising to boycott any internet provider who uses the MS3 infrastructure for ten years
Residents are furious about telegraph poles being erected on the street
Mr Duffill said: ‘It’s the fact that people feel so powerless in the face of this blight of poles, which is a national issue’
Mr Duffill said: ‘It’s the fact that people feel so powerless in the face of this blight of poles, which is a national issue.
‘Almost 100 per cent of residents on this estate have signed up to the ten year boycott.
‘MS3 have 16 broadband providers as partners and we will not be using any of those.
‘We already have underground broadband, we don’t need these unsightly poles. The existing network should be used.’
Guy Miller, CEO of MS3 Networks, said the roll said the rollout of broadband infrastructure in the town would continue, which he said would bring choice and lower internet costs.
‘As residents understand, planning permission is not required and those living on Shields Road and Westlands Drive were given 28 days’ notice of the installation,’ he said.
‘We understand some residents are upset by this work. It’s not our intention to cause disturbance, and we want to work with residents in the most effective way possible. We’d like to remind residents that it is against the 1984 Telecommunications Act to obstruct telecoms workers when they’re carrying out work. That is for their safety and for that of the public and, while we encourage an open dialogue to help residents understand the work we’re doing, that must be done safely.
‘While there are some residents that are not interested in our service at this moment, there are many that are. We know people can save up to £200 on their internet costs and there are many that would like to have that choice. That includes others living on streets we’ve worked on this week.’
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