Where are we up to in the MS3 Telegraph Poles Campaign in Hedon?
Where are we up to in the campaign against MS3 Telegraph Poles in Hedon in January 2024?
On the 4th of January, Going Underground campaigners emailed all East Riding of Yorkshire Councillors with the following and an invite to speak to residents on the Lobby on 10th January:
The council has recently seen an increase in complaints about the deployment of telegraph poles in the county, particularly from Hedon, Cottingham and Hessle which are the first areas targeted in the county by alternative network builders (AltNets).
AltNets must comply with a number of statutory obligations when installing their networks. Stripped of all ambiguities, these obligations include “requirements to share apparatus; use underground rather than overground lines; and minimise the visual impact on the surrounding area”. The perplexing way in which these obligations have been translated and written into legislation has led to the opposite taking place
The rollout of new networks was intended to take place in a manner that would not adversely affect communities, or undermine a broadband programme that ultimately was designed to benefit communities. But the practice has not met those intentions.
Broad community support has not been maintained for the rollout of this infrastructure; poor operator practice whilst undertaking street works has undermined it. The numerous health and safety breaches and inspection requirements have resulted in an increased workload for Streetworks and Highways Departments.
The threat of overbuild – different AltNets building their own networks – resulting in a proliferation of poles, and unnecessary street furniture impacting roads and pavements even in conservation areas, is now a very real threat in the East Riding.
Across the country, AltNets have been allowed to build their networks in cities, towns and villages virtually unchallenged, with little accountability and very little regulatory oversight. Local councils have been perplexed by the confusing legislation, and calls for clarity from the Government have not been met. This has led to the rollout of AltNets continuing, with them very much in the driving seat.
We have an opportunity in the East Riding to seek clarity, to seek accountability, and to seek better regulation. This can be achieved by testing the legislation and reporting the AltNets to Ofcom for non-compliance with their obligations. The rollout of networks should be stopped as an impetus to the Ofcom investigations whilst this process takes place.
The council meeting on the 10th of January did support a motion to write to Ofcom (the Telecoms regulator) but not to report the AltNets. If the council had reported MS3 Networks and Connexin to Ofcom, then the onus would have been on Ofcom to interpret the legislation and determine how to proceed.
Ofcom has consistently failed to intervene in disputes between local authorities and AltNets. The regulator has conducted no enforcement actions since the then Minister of State Julia Lopez MP wrote to all Local Authorities in April 2023 advising they report AltNets for any breaches of obligations.
This was an issue that campaigners raised with Graham Stuart MP on their visit to him in Parliament in November 2023. Although the MP later corresponded with the current Minister Sir John Whittingdale MP and made several media releases on the subject of telegraph poles, he did not answer all the questions raised by campaigners, including the need for an essential briefing to be issued to Local Authorities advising them of their powers under the legislation.
We publish below the log of questions raised with the MP; his answers, and the campaigners’ subsequent and unanswered questions.
We would still welcome responses from the MP, but regular requests to his office to provide these have remained unanswered.
The campaign requires that a political solution be found. If this doesn’t come through Parliament, then councillors in the East Riding need to test the legislation by formally reporting the AltNets to Ofcom for non-compliance. A petition with over 380 signatures was handed to the council on 10th of January calling on them to specifically report MS3 to Ofcom.
In the meanwhile campaigners should keep the campaign against unwanted and unnecessary telegraph poles alive by actively opposing installations on the streets, monitoring the works of contractors for more and inevitable health and safety breaches. Strengthening the boycott against AltNets and those that would use their poles, and ensuring the national petition is shared widely. In addition, this should be made a political issue in upcoming byelections in the East Riding, and the general election when it comes. The statements of candidates should be scrutinised, and their policies on telegraph pole deployment and the removal of telegraph poles highlighted and questioned.
(Ongoing).
Cllr. Phil Redshaw (Lib Dem, Cottingham North) will propose the below motion at Full Council on Wednesday 21 February 2024. Cllr. David Boynton (Beverley St. Mary’s) will second.
“That this Council:
Expresses concern at the use of creosote telegraph poles in the vicinity of schools and nurseries across the East Riding, given the toxic nature of creosote and the risk they present to young children, and disapproves of the assault on our street scene by the erection of these poles, but where poles are sited in the vicinity of schools and nurseries, recommends that all telecoms companies install ‘green’ poles in these areas.”
Cllr Redshaw (Cottingham North) says “This Government is content, not only to allow these telecoms companies to litter our streets with vast numbers of unnecessary telegraph poles and overhead wiring, but then compound this by also allowing these poles to be impregnated with a toxic, carcinogenic and environmentally hazardous substance.
Cllr Boynton (Beverley, St. Mary’s) said “Because the Hull Telecoms Area is regulated differently to the rest of the country, large parts of the East Riding will be left as the only area in Europe with freshly creosote-treated poles erected in large numbers and on every street.”
Further to yesterday’s Press Release, MS3 have confirmed that they have agreed to the phasing out of creosote poles in the East Riding and have committed to only ordering ECO ‘green poles’.
I regard this a real win for public pressure resulting from our campaign and we can only hope that Connexin will also commit to the use of ECO poles in the future.
Kind regards
Phil
Cllr. Phil Redshaw
Cottingham North Ward
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
We have underground ducting installed when the houses were built, use this or don’t bother. There’s no reason for erecting telegraph poles, if there is already underground infrastructure. Telegraph poles are a retrograde step, leaving the streets looking ugly and hindering parking
Mr Stuart would have us believe that he has worked to ensure that these companies do not install within conservation areas. This work was actually done by our local ward councillors. However, it appears that, in 2016, the current government quietly removed the protection of conservation areas so even that promise may be unsound. Indeed, MS3 operators have already been seen scouting our conservation areas for suitable pole sites. 🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️