BT broadband cabinets provoke road safety fears in Ripley

BT has provoked anger from a group of Ripley residents who claim two of the telecoms giant's fibre optic broadband street cabinets could cause a car crash.

A 60-name petition has been handed to BT criticising the location of the cabinets, which the group argue are obstructing the view of drivers as they pull out of a junction.

One of the signatories, 48-year-old resident Mark Pearson, told the Ripley and Heanor News that he nearly collided with a motorcyclist on the road in question a fortnight ago.

BT was not required to obtain planning permission for the location of the cabinets and has so far ruled out moving them.

However, a spokesman for Openreach, the company's local access network business, said BT is now prepared to re-examine the complaint due to the level of support for the campaign from residents.

"We are going to take a fresh look at this, but that's not to say we are definitely going to move the cabinets at this stage," he explained.

Last month, BT ditched plans to roll out fibre optic broadband in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea after the local council refused the company permission to install 96 cabinets, on the grounds that they would make the streets look cluttered.