O2 Offer Peace Move

3.21.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 17th May 2004

At a meeting in the House of Commons, senior managers from controversial telecoms company O2 told MP Vincent Cable that they were willing to make peace moves to defuse conflict with residents over a series of controversial masts (Chertsey Road, Twickenham; Hanworth Road, Heathfield; and Hampton Wick):

• the large Chertsey Road and Hanworth Road masts will be taken down and replaced by smaller structures with less transmission capacity

• they propose regular joint meetings of the five leading operators with the local community to set out their plans and to give an opportunity for residents to propose alternative sites.

Vincent Cable said: "the company is clearly shaken by the bad publicity it has received and is looking to avoid future confrontation. The two masts it proposes to dismantle are subject to an enforcement action by the council and they might have had to take action in any event; but by acting themselves the company is short-circuiting a long and expensive legal battle and further planning applications and appeals, which helps everyone".

"If we can get a consultative forum organised by the telecoms companies jointly that would also be a step forward. a similar arrangement works well in Maidenhead under the chairmanship of the MP and with support from the council. I have written to the council's Chief Executive to suggest such an arrangement here".

"It doesn't solve all the problems over masts since there may not be satisfactory alternatives and residents may be asked to choose between unacceptable options. Nor does it deal with the wider concerns about health impacts. But it goes some way towards improving decisions".