Homes left without phone or internet days after lorry hits pole (From Echo)
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Homes left without phone or internet days after lorry hits pole
7:00am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in Local News By Chloe Chapman
RESIDENTS have been left without an internet or phone connection almost a week after a lorry smashed into a power cable.
Chaos hit Haven Road, Canvey, on Tuesday afternoon after a Polish lorry believed to be going to HBC Vehicle Services ploughed into the pole whilst trying to turn.
The Echo told how surrounding homes and the Hole Haven Caravan Park had been left without electricity, and a wake at the nearby Lobster Smack had to be cancelled because of the blackout.
Engineers worked around the clock to repair the damage and restore power, but residents are still unable to use their home telephones or access the internet.
Residents claim that BT told them the problem could take up until Wednesday to fix.
Many have been forced to divert their home numbers to their mobile phones whilst the issues is resolved.
Liz Swann, 59, of Coastguard Cottages, is currently housebound recovering from an operation and has decided to buy a wireless dongle to ensure she can keep up to date with her work e-mails.
The Canvey Town councillor said: “It has been a nightmare. It’s costing me a fortune in phone calls from my mobile. Everyone is having a horrendous time and no one is keeping us informed about when we can expect it to be up and running again. The workmen from BT have been here so I don’t understand how it is still such a problem.”
The Lobster Smack pub have also been unable to take card payments due to the loss of internet connection.
Ray Peatling, 69, who lives in Hole Haven Caravan Park, said: “We all knew it was an accident waiting to happen with the lorries down here so I guess we should just be glad that it wasn’t worse and no one was hurt.
“I lived without the internet for years before so I’m coping, I will just have to catch up on everything when our connection is finally restored. It’s just very annoying.
BT revealed that they are currently aware of just seven properties on Haven Road still experiencing problems.
Speaking on Monday, a spokesperson said: “We had a specialist engineer due onsite today and we will have a clear idea what needs to be done and timescales once that has happened.”
Comments(16)
Eric Whim
says...
9:27am Tue 16 Oct 12
Must be hell for them.....
APR
says...
9:49am Tue 16 Oct 12
BenfleetBarrel
says...
10:07am Tue 16 Oct 12
Olivia2847
says...
10:51am Tue 16 Oct 12
BenfleetBarrel wrote:Thank God it wasn't a Swede !
Pole hits pole?
upset
says...
11:21am Tue 16 Oct 12
Chris Flunk
says...
11:24am Tue 16 Oct 12
Olivia2847 wrote:Thank god it wasn't a potato, could've been nasty Smash
BenfleetBarrel wrote:Thank God it wasn't a Swede !
Pole hits pole?
BenfleetBarrel
says...
11:27am Tue 16 Oct 12
Smudgie Bugglers
says...
11:30am Tue 16 Oct 12
Olivia2847 wrote:Took me a while to work that one out, is that because it would have been smergen berserken?
BenfleetBarrel wrote: Pole hits pole?Thank God it wasn't a Swede !
Chris Flunk
says...
11:30am Tue 16 Oct 12
BenfleetBarrel
says...
11:32am Tue 16 Oct 12
Smudgie Bugglers
says...
11:34am Tue 16 Oct 12
BenfleetBarrel wrote:Touchy subject, tread carefully BB
I guess the lorry driver should have made his vehicle safe by pumpkin the tyres up.
Chris Flunk
says...
11:34am Tue 16 Oct 12
Eric Whim
says...
1:36pm Tue 16 Oct 12
BenfleetBarrel
says...
2:30pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Chris Flunk
says...
2:31pm Tue 16 Oct 12
upset says...
8:45am Tue 16 Oct 12