A pensioner has been issued a police caution after disrupting the construction of a new broadband pole outside her home.
Dot Bolton, 75, from Hull, staged a sit-in protest after she heard that a 30ft-high column was being erected on the pavement outside her bungalow. She placed a deckchair on the spot where contractors were due to install the structure and refused to move, even after being warned by police that her actions were against the law.
The pole was being installed on behalf of broadband company Connexin and is intended to carry overhead wires in order to provide internet services to local households, Hull Live reported. However, some residents have complained of minimal prior consultation and claim the poles often end up obstructing access.
The contractors reported Mrs Bolton for a public order offence and police officers arrived shortly before noon. Mrs Bolton ultimately accepted a police caution for obstructing a public highway. But she said she had no regrets, calling the new broadband poles "ugly".
Surrounded by a gang of supportive neighbours, Mrs Bolton said: "If this pole goes up in this spot, the pole will be directly in front of my window and the wire will go across my house and garden. I've lived here for 20 years now and like my house the way it is, without these poles.
"I am willing to be arrested, I feel that strongly about it. I have never been in trouble in my life but having the police called won't scare me from standing up for myself."
In a statement, police told Hull Live: "Officers were called to attend Ramsgate Close, Hull, at 11am today following reports of an incident. One woman has been reported for a public order offence."
Mrs Bolton grew tearful as officers tried to persuade her to move. She told them: "I am not moving so you may as well arrest me."
Brian, Mrs Bolton's husband of 51 years, said: "We are really happy with our KCOM internet. We have a box on our house that is attached to underground cables that gives us an internet connection and we wouldn't look to change our provider.
"Connexin could do the same instead of putting poles up, but it would cost them more money. Nobody has listened to what people living here want and the contractors have been put in a difficult position."
The contractors are thought to have suggested a compromise by moving the pole away from the footpath to a grass verge. A short time later, Mrs Bolton agreed to move and the manager of the construction firm offered to show residents where they were planning to place poles.
In a previous statement about the rollout, Connexin said: "We are building a new, full-fibre network in Hull to give residents more choice of broadband providers. The technology will bring huge benefits to local families and businesses, while also creating a fairer and more competitive marketplace in the city during a time where rising household bills are a hot topic.
"It is recognised by Ofcom that residents in Hull pay higher prices for their broadband than the rest of the UK. We have had thousands of residents pre-register and sign up for the service, with hundreds of installs taking place each month.
"We understand that some residents live in areas with ‘service strips’, instead of footpaths. These strips at the front of their properties are for housing utility infrastructure and form part of the public highway.
"Some residents have built fences, planted hedges or furnished this strip meaning it is not feasible for us to dig underground without causing major disruption. We strive to select and site our infrastructure sensitively, balancing this with the need to bring local broadband competition.
"All network providers follow a statutory process to install telecoms infrastructure on public land. The correct process has been followed for the erection of any telegraph poles, and they are legally sited on the public highway."
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