From our mailbag:

Friends of the Lake District (FLD) is a registered charity, established in 1934, with the objects of protecting and conserving the landscape of the Lake District and Cumbria. A specific concern for FLD is the visual intrusion of overhead wires and poles (landlines) particularly in designated areas i.e. National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Ofcom, like the other regulators, has a duty to have regard to the purposes of National Parks and AONBs. This includes conserving and enhancing their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. We recognise that Ofcom’s primary duty is to promote consumer interests in the communications market however we believe it can do this and still address its broader environmental duty. Consumer interests have been shown to include protecting the landscape for future generations and landscape beauty is an importannt component in attracting business and tourism to many areas.

We would agree that no individual consumer would wish to lose their access to a landline because a community decided telegraph poles and wires should be removed, as they were visually ugly. However, evidence suggests that people are concerned about broader issues than how much they pay for services. In general today’s consumers have, and are expressing greater environmental concerns, whilst continuing to request more choice, keen prices and reliability.

Ofgem undertook a consumer survey prior to the most recent electricity distribution price control review which tested consumers’ reactions to overhead wires in the landscape and their willingness to pay to remove or reduce their impact on visual amenity. Results from the survey showed that consumers concerns included the visual intrusion of overhead lines in the landscape. Phase 1 of the survey identified that 89% of people gave their support for under-grounding in designated landscape areas. In the second phase there was a willingness to pay 0.7%, the equivalent of £2.42 on top of the current bill in a year, to enable further under-grounding to take place. Of course it can be argued that this was research undertaken about overhead electricity wires but telephone lines are just as intrusive to landscapes as electricity lines. It is likely that for those who are concerned about the impact on visual amenity it is irrelevant who owns which poles and wires and most of the public are unlikely to know the difference.

We are campaigning for both Ofcom and the telecommunications industry, particularly the recently set up Openreach, to take more action so that overhead lines in designated areas can be placed underground lines and new lines in these areas are placed underground as a matter of course.

We would be interested in hearing others views on this.

Penny Ozanne

Overhead Wires Project Officer

Friends of the Lake District