Protest over phone mast
This is Bromsgrove 19.07.05
PARENTS worried about the effects a mobile phone mast may have on their children's health took to the streets to highlight their campaign to have it resited.
T-mobile wants to put up a 12-metre high mast, disguised as a telegraph pole, near a filling station on the brow of Old Birmingham Road. The site is just 70 metres from Rhymes Nursery.
The toddlers' parents are not happy about the plan and last Friday Bromsgrove's MP Julie Kirkbride joined in their protest.
Residents and parents have previously met with representatives from the phone company to voice their fears over the long-term health risks from the mast.
Then it was agreed that T-mobile would look at alternative sites suggested by residents.
Miss Kirkbride said: "I really would appeal to T-mobile to reconsider the location. This is a purpose-built nursery offering first-class facilities. If mobile phone companies have a policy of not locating masts near schools, they should apply that policy to nurseries."
Beacon Labour county councillor Peter McDonald, who originally took up the residents' concerns, also urged the company to give serious thought to the residents' pleas.
"I sincerely hope they heed the genuine concerns many people have. If parents remove their children because of the mast it could have serious consequences for the nursery," he said.
Parent Mark Bromhall's comment was typical of many. He said: "Our children should be protected. Asbestos and smoking were once considered safe. It takes a long time for the effects to become known."
John Shaughnessy, a spokesman for T-mobile, said his company is currently examining the eight alternative locations suggested by residents and parents to see if they are suitable from a point of view of access and network coverage.
PARENTS worried about the effects a mobile phone mast may have on their children's health took to the streets to highlight their campaign to have it resited.
T-mobile wants to put up a 12-metre high mast, disguised as a telegraph pole, near a filling station on the brow of Old Birmingham Road. The site is just 70 metres from Rhymes Nursery.
The toddlers' parents are not happy about the plan and last Friday Bromsgrove's MP Julie Kirkbride joined in their protest.
Residents and parents have previously met with representatives from the phone company to voice their fears over the long-term health risks from the mast.
Then it was agreed that T-mobile would look at alternative sites suggested by residents.
Miss Kirkbride said: "I really would appeal to T-mobile to reconsider the location. This is a purpose-built nursery offering first-class facilities. If mobile phone companies have a policy of not locating masts near schools, they should apply that policy to nurseries."
Beacon Labour county councillor Peter McDonald, who originally took up the residents' concerns, also urged the company to give serious thought to the residents' pleas.
"I sincerely hope they heed the genuine concerns many people have. If parents remove their children because of the mast it could have serious consequences for the nursery," he said.
Parent Mark Bromhall's comment was typical of many. He said: "Our children should be protected. Asbestos and smoking were once considered safe. It takes a long time for the effects to become known."
John Shaughnessy, a spokesman for T-mobile, said his company is currently examining the eight alternative locations suggested by residents and parents to see if they are suitable from a point of view of access and network coverage.
Starmail - 20. Jul, 23:14
