Disabled pensioner’s fury at BT green metal box blocking his driveway

A disabled pensioner returned from holiday to find a broadband box had been installed at the end of his drive.
James Godman, 67, was furious to discover BT’s green metal box prevented his carer from parking.
The retired gas worker said: “It’s ridiculous – what a thoughtless act.
SWNS
New visitor: BT workers installed this box
The intrusive box, installed to bring faster broadband to the area, prevents James’s carer from parking in his double driveway – which now only has room for one car.
To add insult to injury, now the council has painted double yellow lines behind his home, in Portchester, Hampshire, leaving nowhere for his carer to park.
James has now lost a lengthy battle against BT to have the box removed.
The retired gas worker said: “It’s made my life a living hell.
“I was away with my wife at the time, shortly before she died, and when we came home there was this huge box in the way of half our drive.
“It wasn’t too much of an inconvenience then, because we could park behind the house, but now they’ve painted double yellow lines there so my carer has nowhere to park.
“It’s ridiculous – what a thoughtless act. They could’ve just moved it a further metre-and-a-half and there would not have been any problem.”
SWNS
Blocked: James Godman’s drive in Portchester, Hampshire
The retired gas worker said that he was not spoken to by BT about the installation and that he feels the company acted “thoughtlessly” by planting the box wholly on his side of the pavement outside his semi-detached home.
He added: “They didn’t give me any notice at all. It could have been put on the boundary line – that wouldn’t be a problem.
“But no, they thoughtlessly put it across my drive and now I’m left with the problem. I don’t want to be rude but it is a job done without thought.”
James has now lost his two-year campaign to force the telecoms giant to move the cabinet from his drive.
SWNS
Struggling: His carer is now unable to park by his home
The pensioner had his driveway extended to make space for his carer but did not have a dropped curb installed in front of the extra room.
Without the dropped curb, his addition is not recognised in law as being a driveway meaning BT is entitled to place the box there.
The boxes are part of the BT Open Reach programme, which brings faster broadband.
A spokesman from BT said: “This cabinet has been serving customers with their broadband for more than two years.
“Before installing any street cabinets, we make sure robust planning goes into the best possible location to provide maximum service.
“Like all our cabinets, this one complies with all the relevant regulation.
“Although it’s unlikely cabinets will reallocated once installed, homeowners and residents can of course make a complaint to Open Reach who will investigate.”