Hedon telegraph pole protesters take their campaign direct to provider MS3

Hedon protester Kath Whitteron delivers their boycott pledge, signed by 1,061 households, to broadband provider MS3.
Hedon protester Kath Whitteron delivers their boycott pledge, signed by 1,061 households, to broadband provider MS3. Credit: Ray Duffill

Residents fighting the installation of broadband poles near their homes held a protest at the offices of the company behind the scheme.

Local councillors and activists travelled to the head office of fibre network operator MS3 in Hessle, near Hull, to hand over a pledge - attached to a post - to block poles being put up in Hedon.

More than 1,000 households have pledged to boycott MS3 and any internet service providers using the poles, saying they blight the town.

Cllr Steve Gallant said: "We went to MS3’s offices to tell them we have passed 1,000 pledges from Hedon households to boycott them and any internet service providers using poles.

"We continue to work with some MPs to get Ofcom to intervene or change the permitted development rules that allow [them] to blight our town and villages."

The protest followed efforts by residents to prevent contractors from entering their streets to install poles.

Police have been called to locations including Shields Road to keep the peace during protests.

Objectors want MS3 to use underground cables instead.

Police called as residents blockade telegraph pole workers

Under permitted development rules, companies only need to apply for a council permit and give 28 days' notice before installing them.

Tony Jopling, MS3's chief operating officer, said the company had continued to follow the relevant code of conduct during its works to install poles in Hedon in the last few days.

He said: "Over the past week MS3 has installed several poles on Shields Road and across Hedon in line with our build plan.

"We did this in accordance with the telegraph code of conduct, following all the rules and regulations required for work of this nature to be carried out."

Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said he was continuing to encourage companies to work with existing provider KCOM to find a solution.

He said: "I don’t want to see our streets littered with poles, and I want to make sure that the companies erecting them don’t impose poles on people without considering their needs.

"That’s why I’m working with all the companies involved to come to an agreement to make it possible for competition in broadband to exist."

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