Hessle residents win broadband poles reprieve - for now

Residents in Hessle rejoice at stalling the installation of broadband poles

Residents in an East Yorkshire town have temporarily stalled plans to erect broadband poles outside their homes.

Contractors from the provider MS3 arrived in Hessle last week but were sent packing by a group of residents.

The residents said they had stopped the work, claiming the firm did not have the necessary permission to erect the poles to carry overhead cables.

MS3 said it was legally permitted to install infrastructure but had agreed to postpone work for 28 days.

Campaigner Karen Marshall said a truck "laden with poles" arrived last Thursday - a day after notices were put up telling residents the infrastructure would be installed.

"We managed to stop them," said Ms Marshall. "It was only then that we realised what was happening."

Residents in Hessle are objecting to the installation of broadband poles

Another resident, Carol Edge, said she was "extremely cross".

She added: "It's not just one pole, you could have four or five poles all linked up together, all with different cables across the road."

Robin Alford, who also lives in the area, claimed MS3 did not have permission to erect the poles, although this is disputed by the company.

He said: "I do believe that the permitted rights are only in place for existing developments and existing infrastructure - services such as gas and water - in the area. This is a new developer into the area. There is no existing infrastructure in place."

Robin Alford says MS3 does not have permission to install the poles, although the company disputes this

Meanwhile, Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy suggested Ofcom could force broadband providers to share underground infrastructure.

This would reduce the need to install poles "which residents don't want", she added.

An MS3 spokesperson told the BBC the company always engaged with communities to ensure the benefits of the poles were understood so that residents could learn more about the work that they do.