It is hardly surprising that people in Longwell Green are unhappy about the new electricity poles being put up in front of their homes.

Traditional wooden poles are just about acceptable. After all they do blend in with the street scene, particularly after they weather a little.

But these new metal poles will never do that. They will remain garish and unattractive for as long as they stand.

Obviously they will not be subject to rot like wooden poles.

So the electricity company is on to a good thing. These metal masts will last years longer.

But for locals, that makes things worse. They will look as unsightly in 10 years' time as they do now.

And because lights cannot be fitted to them, householders have ended up with twice as many poles in their street as they had before.

Clearly choosing these poles was a commercial decision. Masts like these are a fraction of the cost of putting cables underground.

However electricity suppliers have a duty not only to provide energy efficiently but also to consider the way it reaches homes.

And the most aesthetic and safest way of doing that is by burying the cables.

So not only have people in Barrs Court had these awful new poles forced upon them – in putting them up, Central Networks, Eon's distribution arm, has sent a message that at no time in the near future are they going to put their cables underground.

When you consider the profits such firms make and the cost they charge for their supplies, that is simply not good enough.

And they all know it.