I have seen many, many complaints from residents about the installation of telegraph poles by brsk across the constituency.
Many MPs, including me, contacted Julia Lopez, Minister at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, about the egregious siting of telegraph poles in our constituencies. The letter she has subsequently sent to all fixed-line operators is very reassuring.
The message is very clear from the Minister: every operator must ensure that they are doing everything possible to explore the possibility of sharing existing infrastructure and underground network deployment before making the decision to use telegraph poles. So, everything that you have all been arguing for.
New telegraph poles should only be the case where installing lines underground is not reasonably practicable, and only after ensuring that appropriate community engagement has taken place and new infrastructure will not cause the obstructions to traffic or unduly impact the visual amenity of the local area.
I have written to brsk stating: “It concerns me that you are continuing to pursue the egregious siting of the telegraph poles when the residents don’t want to buy the service in the first place and have made this very clear that if they did, it would be if the service was provided via ducts. I refer you again to the minister’s letter on this matter and about the sharing of poles.”
