Southport: Police called as Openreach masts protestors block road

Police first attended a protest in February in the ongoing dispute over telegraph poles

Police have been called to a protest in a seaside town after residents blocked a road to stop work going ahead to install telegraph poles.

Openreach said the masts would link properties in Southport with Ultrafast Fibre optic broadband.

Engineers were first driven out of the street last month in the ongoing dispute, with the council urging the firm to suspend the plan.

But Openreach said this was the only viable way to connect full fibre.

The scale and cost of underground work would involve months of road closures and disruptions, the firm added.

An increasing number of residents have objected to the masts, saying they felt the "alien" objects were being forced on them.

Campaigners said the upgrade programme was welcomed but they were very clear they did not want telegraph poles.

They added that the masts were unattractive, damaging to wildlife and less effective than underground cables and also complained they had not been consulted, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Residents blockade a road in Southport as part of their protest against the installation of telegraph poles

Norwood ward councillor, Greg Myers, who attended the protest on Thursday, said: "Instead of pausing on poles and holding a constructive dialogue with concerned residents as requested earlier this week, Openreach has instead, it seems, ramped up its efforts."

"Residents increasingly feel they are being trampled upon by Openreach, he said, adding: "It is shocking arrogance by Openreach management."

"All these delays, extra cost and police hours wasted because they preferred to talk at residents instead of to them? It makes little sense."

Protestor, Brian, who has been part of the campaign since it began, said: "There were 14 police officers.

"It's taken an awful lot of police resources of the streets just to assist Openreach in carrying out their works."

He said the protestors would "learn a few lessons" and be back.

Damien Moore, Conservative MP for Southport, has raised the issue in the House of Commons, accusing Openreach of "sidestepping" its own rules in installing the poles.

'Remain peaceful'

Openreach said it was "simply not true" to say the firm had not engaged with local residents, adding they had even discussed "the positioning for individual poles" with them.

They said that, where possible, they would use the existing network to build broadband upgrades but this wasn't viable in Southport as the cables were mainly underground.

A Merseyside Police representative confirmed officers had been monitoring the protest and "engaged at the scene".

They "reminded them that their protest must remain peaceful and that any escalation towards committing offences will not be tolerated", they added.

No arrests were made.