Leicester County Council Tree Fouling

[#1]

I recently had a problem with my phone line that it was snapped by a near by tree on the verge outside my house (Leicestershire County Council Ownership) they have inspected the tree and while it is thier tree causing the damage they are not going to cut the tree back.

Instead they have informed me that BT should re-enforce the line ( I Have never heard of this )

Is their any thing i can do or get someone to do? 

[#2]

@duckettp 

That sounds like the County Council passing the buck.  Unless it continues to happen and therefore causes Openreach (who manage the network) a problem OR are unlikely to do anything to the cable.  The council have identified the tree is the issue, so maybe it's time to complain to the council - Comments and Complaints - LCC 

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

[#3]

There's two sides to this argument. Why can't BT reroute or reinforce the cable? I can imagine the outcry if BT were free to go around the country hacking bits off protected trees that got in the way of their cables. 

[#4]

@duckettp  Your contract is with your phone provider. Report it as a fault to them.

[#5]

@Baldrick1 wrote:  I can imagine the outcry if BT were free to go around the country hacking bits off protected trees that got in the way of their cables. 

Electricity companies do much the same thing. About few years or so they take the tops off. Saves problems with rural supplies. And just because a tree is there, it doesn't mean it protected in any sense of the word. Some trees are, a large number are not. As @Champnet says, report the fault to the phone company. How they deal with it, up to them.

[#6]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

There's two sides to this argument. Why can't BT reroute or reinforce the cable? 

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Because most of the time it isn't possible, and frankly the idea of reinforcing the cable is preposterous, trees grow and they sway in the wind etc.....

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

I can imagine the outcry if BT were free to go around the country hacking bits off protected trees that got in the way of their cables. 

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Back when i worked for BT we carried pruning saws (with telescopic handles) to deal with problematic trees.

Obviously you couldn't go sawing branches off trees on private property, or with preservation orders, but public/council owned ones or branches overhanging customers properties we did regularly.

[#7]

@DaveyH 

Thank you for reinforcing my view that there are two sides to this argument. As we don't know the full facts re the original post it's impossible to promote the most appropriate.

For information I am not a tree hugger desperate to protect every tree, who needs putting in their place!

[#8]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

There's two sides to this argument. Why can't BT reroute or reinforce the cable? I can imagine the outcry if BT were free to go around the country hacking bits off protected trees that got in the way of their cables. 

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Indeed and that would depend if the tree in question is protected, or LCC don't want to pay to have the branch/es removed.

[#9]

Bit more detail the cable runs from a pole accross the road to a pole almost next to the tree, then to my property, Probably almost 70m+.

This seceond pole is for next door and me only. Im not sure re routing is really an option as the tree sits between the two pole and there is no other BT node close by, Though im not a BT engineer. 

No the tree is not protected i have already checked that.

Though currently there is no fault on my line and has took 6 mouths for LCC to view the tree the cable isnt just rubbing its under strain from a couple of branches

[#10]

So if it's not protected then I guess it's a case of who chops the branch off.

I can see this being a nightmare situation, I would assume the responsibility to be BT's but do they have the authority to just chop the branch off? Assuming that the branch is not within your boundary do the council as the owner need to give permission, especially now that they know about it?