GOING UNDERGROUND – NO to MS3 POLES by Councillor Steve Gallant
Councillor Steve Gallant (South West Holderness Ward Councillor and Hedon Town Councillor) has published the following to keep residents updated about the campaign “Going Underground – NO to MS3 poles”.
You can join the campaign Facebook Group at: Hedon Says No To MS3 Telegraph Poles (or Any Other Company’s Poles!)
Although the Government changed Planning legislation to allow MS3 (and others) to install poles without planning permission, there are things we can all do to protest and hopefully stop some of these 500 poles.
- Sign the official petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/635960 – We need 10,000 to get a response from the Government. The link is also on the Hedon Town Council website and Hedon Rant and Banter on Facebook.
- Boycott Pledge – We have created a form to collect pledges to boycott any internet provider using poles infrastructure. You can print it off from Hedon Blog, Hedon Rant’n’Banter or pick up a copy from Hedon Town Hall. Better still, make copies and get all your neighbours to sign up too. Return completed forms to Hedon Town Hall, Preston Parish Council or The Old Vicarage, Ivy Lane, Hedon. We will deliver them all to MS3.
- OFCOM – There is an Electrical Communications Code of Conduct (2003) which says operators should go underground where possible, especially where there are no existing poles (eg Leafsail, and much of Preston South). MS3 said, “it’s voluntary, we don’t have to abide by it”. But East Riding Planning suggested MS3’s brazen attitude to breaching the code should be reported to OFCOM. If they get hundreds of complaints they may well intervene. Contact OFCOM.
- “Hedon Says NO to MS3 Poles” Posters – Are available from the Hedon Town Hall or The Old Vicarage, Ivy Lane. Please pick one up and post in your window or on the lamppost where MS3 have placed their notices.
- Planning Objections – Councillor Sue Steel and I, met with the East Riding Planning Director and his team on Thursday, Sept 14th 2023. Although Planning Permission is not needed there are a few things that can be done to challenge their plans.
- a) Three Conservation Areas cover a large part of central Preston, the centre of Hedon and Havenside. East Riding can demand no poles in these areas.
- b) Narrow Paths – Where a pole would impede access for prams, etc, Highways can object. So places like Church Lane with just one narrow path can be reviewed. If your pavement is too narrow do let us know so we can let Highways know. Please email to councillor.gallant@eastriding.gov.uk.
- Private Roads – if you live on a private road (e.g. Charles Street) you can tell MS3 you refuse to give them access unless they go underground. To override your objection they would have to get a Court Order, adding to their costs and hopefully convince them to reconsider.
- The Campaign Group is liaising with other protest groups in Hessle and Cottingham. Emma Hardy MP and Dame Diana Johnson MP are both active in this. We have been trying to engage with Graham Stuart MP but he has been noticeably quiet so far!
- Cllr Steve Gallant ( SW Holderness Ward Councillor).
(Ongoing)
The erection of poles as a cheap way to provide comms services should not be allowed. It’s laughable that this Victorian practice is still happening in the 21st century. What next? The return of the horse drawn omnibus? I only hope that the residents of Hull and environs will stand firm and not be tempted by MS3 services. I for one will not be.
Watching the news and saddened by this awful direction of travel by ms3. I fear they may do this anywhere they like. If there is no planning permission required then I suggest hedon and Preston get a go fund me (I’ll support) to get a few telegraph poles installed outside the ms3 office in hessle. See how they like it. 10 should suffice!
Hi
I totally sympathise with your Victorian telegraph pole issues.
I live in Crosshouse, Kilmarnock & at the height of Covid epidemic, Morrisons civil engineering
appeared in our street with multiple vans (& no PPE), & just started putting up poles EVERYWHERE.
I was in my back garden when a worker suddenly ran through it clutching cable. Gave me a fright and he got one too as I had both my Labs with me! No warning, no masks……
All courtesy of Virgin media……no one is going to sign up to them due to the way arrogant and destructive way
they have treated us
They have been routinely turning up leaving engines running & messing about with cables ever since…
I could not understand why ANY new poles/cables where being put up…..this the 21st century,,…right?
I had my house land line removed by Openreach YEARS ago,,,,….no need for it
I have used a Three 4G mobile dongle for several years and it is fantastic…..no wires no cables…just reliable service.
We now have a mass of cables dangling outside our bedroom and dining room windows . spoiling our view of
Arran and the countryside
These poles and cables give our estate a real “third world” look and there is NO need for them…AAAAAAGH
5G mobile dongles are also available for our area and I would urge everyone to check their mobile internet
dongle coverage to see if they can use them,,,,,,its kept very quiet for some reason….check with Three mobile internet web site and other service providers who may cover your area
If you have mobile internet coverage you can get Openreach to REMOVE your landline for free…its their property
Dump the cables…….. Dump the poles!!
Best of luck stopping them
Al Smith
These companies are using poles therefore cutting trees down ruining the environment and then when trunking underground is readily available choose not to use it. They care only about money and little for the environment.
Hi all.
Been a bit out of circulation for a few days before having ‘optical procedure’ carried out yesterday.
I did however attend the public meeting last Thursday and other meetings with Sue Steel and Steve Gallant before having treatment.
Hope to be back in harness in the next few days.
Cllr John Dennis
This is the first time I have seen some sense among all the emotions.
I believe that a former LibDem head of Hull Council (Carl Minns?) Might be a ER Councillor.D
Lib Dems then had 2 Councillors on the Board of KComm. If they don’t know whether K Comm were making competition difficult, a question raised at AGMs by their own Shareholders, I’d be amazed.
A year ago, K Comm were boasting that they were intending to move in Lincolnshire. A member of Connexin Staff claimed that K Comm were trying to charge them 3 times what they were being charged on the South Bank.
Certainly Connexin CEO claimed in a Televised Meeting with Hull Councillors that it could take 5 months to get a quote for an area from KComm.
There is far too much not air and not proper investigation of the facts.
Protests around Sutton a year ago achieved nothing.
If we can’t argue with proven facts we will get nowhere.