Selby MP Nigel Adams says a broadband supplier has ‘let down’ villagers for using poles and overheads wires to deliver broadband to them in contrast to other residents who had such services delivered underground.

Escrick residents complained to the MP after Factco told them they would be having poles to deliver a roll-out of 1000Mbps Gigabit broadband, which will replace the existing 60Mbps Superfast broadband.

Factco told residents in Wenlock Drive this was due to the difficulties and higher costs of underground cabling. The residents objected and asked again for underground cabling, with them saying the design would be reviewed.

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But, villagers add, suddenly Factco told them, it would erect poles despite new cabling being installed underground in other nearby streets.

Some 30 residents met their MP, Nigel Adams, and told them that the poles and overhead cables would criss-cross their streets and gardens, with some cables going through trees.

One told the MP: “Poles are a 19th century way of connecting phone lines and in the 21st century it is unacceptable to have them imposed on us in this way.  Cables and poles are unsightly and unnecessary.”

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Mr Adams said after the meeting: “The community feel badly let down because they objected to the poles and despite that the poles have now been imposed on them. Having visited I can see why the homeowners do not want poles and overhead wires, especially when new cables are being installed underground in adjoining streets.”

Factco told the Press that the part of the village where the poles were used would need extensive excavation and re-instatement work. Furthermore, in Wenlock Drive, underground cabling was not feasible due to poor pathways and such work would damage the tree roots already protruding the pathway.

Burying the cables would also make them harder to maintain, with access more difficult, also needing a fresh civil works permit. Therefore, installing 11 poles was the “most feasible solution.

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The spokesperson continued: “Without the installation of nine of these 11 poles on Northlands Close, Southlands Close, and Wenlock Drive, full fibre access would not be available to 90 residents living on Carr Lane, Escrick Court, Northlands Close, Skipworth Road, Southland Close, Wenlock Drive and Woodlands.

“Surveys on nearby streets were found to have more and better-quality underground infrastructure, which is why these areas of the network were able to be built underground.

The spokesperson added: “FACTCO is a private company working to upgrade rural communities with full fibre capabilities. Our works in Escrick are a self-funded investment and are permitted by the North Yorkshire Council. We have been in touch with local residents, local councillors, parish council, and Rt Hon Nigel Adams MP regarding the above.”