Mast installed despite protests (From Stroud News and Journal)

Mast installed despite protests

THE controversial TETRA mast has been installed on the top of Stroud police station despite strong opposition from campaigners.

Contractors arrived on Saturday to erect the mast at ground level before lifting it to the top of the police station with a hydraulic crane.

Testing of the TETRA mast is likely to start within the next couple of months according to Mark Ede, head of communications for mm02.

He told the SNJ on Monday: "Testing will start shortly and we anticipate it to be up and running fully within the next couple of months.

"We are very pleased to be able to continue to provide an infrastructure for public safety through the police." Mr Ede said that all High Court challenges have now been dismissed.

"There is no case to answer on health risks," he said. However, a number of placard waving protesters gathered to voice their protests at the installation on Saturday and again on Monday morning.

Still worried about potential health risks, protester Steve Penny said: "This mast should not have been permitted in an area close to homes, workplaces and in particular, schools."

"If Tetra was a drug it would have to be thoroughly tested before being allowed into the public domain. In this case, the people of Stroud are to be guinea pigs," he said.

Lynne Edmunds, anti-mast campaigner and national TETRA co-ordinator for pressure group Mast Action who was at the protest on Saturday said: "In Gloucestershire as a whole there are four pending legal challenges to TETRA masts including the police mast and this will delay them further.

We have not given up the fight." At the end of last year the SNJ spotlighted Grace Trevett's brave fight at the High Court in London when she lost her fight to stop the installation of the mm02 mast.

Ms Trevett and fellow residents claimed there was expert evidence that the mast presented a risk to public health. Her case hinged on whether the judge believed that residents' concerns had been fully taken into account.

However, Judge Mr Justice Sullivan ruled that a government inspector's report had given due respect to residents' fears and the case was lost.