Work to install broadband masts suspended due to 'unsafe practices'

A broadband company which plans to build nine mobile phone transmitters in Tameside has been suspended from erecting telecoms masts in Oldham because of 'unsafe practices'.

IX Wireless has caused controversy among Oldham residents, who have staged protests against the numerous ‘ugly’ masts, which they have described as ‘monstrosities’ and ‘eyesores’. 

IX Wireless have stated that the safety issues were related to a ‘third-party traffic management company’ and have been ‘rectified going forward’. 

The company are installing the poles as part of an infrastructure boost to increase their coverage over the region. At least 46 applications have been put through the planning portal. 

The Blackburn-based company wants to build nine masts in Tameside and promises to offer cheap broadband to people living in Ashton, Droylsden, Audenshaw and Hyde.

An Oldham council spokesperson noted that the poles can be installed without the need for planning permission or public consultation, which ‘severely restricts’ the local authority’s ability to respond to complaints. However, the installations do require highways permits. 

The spokesperson said: “We have told IX Wireless to stop work across the borough following safety concerns.

“We are temporarily suspending issuing new highways permits to the firm until officers are satisfied safe working practices have been in place. Other councils have already taken this step.

“The temporary suspension was put in place because over the last few weeks our highways team has received a number of complaints about work being carried out by IX Wireless.

“Concerns were raised about the safety of pedestrians, motorists and the company’s own staff while work was being carried out on, or close, to our roads. Inspections have backed this up.

“This is not acceptable and we’d be failing in our duties if we allowed unsafe practices to carry on.” 

The ban comes after a heated period of local protest. Police were recently called to Foxdenton Lane, where a Chadderton resident sat in a hole in the ground where a new telecommunications mast was due to be installed. 

MP Jim McMahon called for ‘calm’ after ‘several disturbances’ resulted in police call-outs in his constituency. 

Speaking of the suspension, Mr McMahon later stated: “I am very glad to hear that Oldham Council have suspended telecommunications development in the borough while health and safety checks take place.

“We have been calling for checks like this to take place for a long time now and have been working with different levels of government to see change to the National Planning Policy Framework and to find better ways to improve local connectivity – ways which greatly minimise current disruption.” 

However, the suspension will serve as only a ‘brief respite’ for local residents. Once Oldham council ‘receives assurances’ about health and safety practices, IX Wireless will be allowed to resume their work on a two week-trial basis – and this could be as soon as October. 

Christine Turner, one of more than 1,000 residents opposing the masts said she was both ‘relieved’ and ‘worried’ about the suspensions. 

Turner said: “We were all relieved that the works were suspended. But now we are quite worried about the suspension because we think it’s just going to be a period of two weeks. We need them suspended for longer, so we have time to change things in parliament.” 

The erection of telecoms masts by a number of broadband companies has sparked controversy in the last year. The Labour government had promised to ‘end the deployment of unnecessary telegraph poles’ and telecoms minister Chris Bryant recently called for greater sharing of infrastructure by telecom providers.

An IX Wireless spokesperson said the company takes ‘matters of safety seriously’, adding: “The safety of our staff and local residents is paramount and we are working to address any issues that  have been highlighted.

“In this case, concerns were raised by the local authority following discrepancies between the traffic and pedestrian management information provided for the permit and live sites.

“Upon investigation it became evident that one of our third-party traffic management companies had, on occasion, incorrectly chosen to downgrade the level of traffic management required during the dynamic risk assessment.  This issue has been addressed and rectified going forward.”