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Branch preventing maintenance on telephone line

Reported via desktop in the Tree Requires Pruning category anonymously at 14:31, Tuesday 17 February 2026 using FixMyStreet Pro

Sent to Bromley Council less than a minute later. FixMyStreet ref: 8940215.

Photo of this report zoom

The overhead telephone line to 48 Lynwood Grove is caught on a a relatively small branch of the tree between 46 and 48 Lynwood Grove.

The fibre line was installed in 2023. It has always had slack due to Openreach installing without first pruning the trees, but it has worsened after a neighbour's oak was pruned. It is particularly clear in the winter after the trees have all lost their leaves.

I am now trying to get the line re-tensioned by Openreach. On their site visit, they advised that they are not able to do so without the branch being pruned and that they are not allowed to do this on a public tree. And apparently a fibre cable can't simply be swung over as it would risk damaging the cable.

The branch is also preventing me from having a new line from one of the altnets installed.

Please could this branch be pruned back to release this overhead line? I can then get it re-tensioned and made well clear of the highway.

Updates

  • Thank you for your report, this is now being investigated. Information on our services and the timeframes we aim to respond in can be found: http://www.bromley.gov.uk/ fixservices

    State changed to: In progress

    Posted by Bromley Council at 14:31, Tuesday 17 February 2026

  • We are continuing to investigate and working to resolve this report

    Posted by Bromley Council at 15:55, Wednesday

  • The cables, poles, and pylons etc are owned and maintained by these various service providers, not by LBB. It is the responsibility of these various companies to ensure that their customers have working services, not LBB.

    This issue is regulated by the 1984 Telecommunications Act and is explained on the LBB web page. It is this Act that is the basis for the LBB Tree Management Strategy. We are sorry to hear that OpenReach has provided incorrect information.

    It is Open Reach's responsibility to clear the wires and ensure that their customers have good clear phone connection and that is why a monthly Line Rental fee is levied.

    They have permission to undertake minimal pruning to ensure service to their customers.

    Posted by Bromley Council at 10:06, Friday

  • We have investigated the report issue and have made contact with the report originator and/or a subsequent commenter to outline further details. This report is now closed on FixMyStreet.

    State changed to: Closed

    Posted by Bromley Council at 10:07, Friday

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