OAP’s put on hold for 4 months

Pensioner Marjorie Solan has been without the use of her telephone since May.

A PENSIONER has been left hanging on the telephone after being deprived of a landline for more than four months.

Fixing Marjorie Solan’s BT line will involve major work to dig up a busy road in Shaw — although bosses have pledged to act as soon as possible.

The 76-year-old’s problems began on May 4 when her home telephone in Rochdale Road stopped working and she reported the problem to BT.

Workers have twice been out to try to fix the fault but unforeseen complications have meant it’s still not been solved and they’re hoping to make it third time lucky.

Meanwhile, fed-up Mrs Solan has had to use a mobile phone to stay in touch and says it is costing her about £10 more a month.

She said: “It’s ridiculous. It’s a real inconvenience and it’s costing me a lot more. I hope I’m going to be reimbursed.

“They twice came out and put the lights out to dig the road up and then they went off.

“It’s all right making promises but they have been promising for months.

“They just keep coming up with excuses. A big company like them should be able to do it.”

A BT spokesman explained that a fault was discovered in an underground length of cable with technicians getting 70 metres of cable and temporary traffic lights ready to repair it on July 1.

But when work began, they discovered unexpected blockages in the duct and decided traffic would need to be stopped for longer, — not allowed under their agreement for the lights.

The next available date granted by Oldham Council was August 2, but another blockage involving a gas main was identified and the routing had to be completely re-planned for a whole new duct.

This will require four-way traffic lights and the council saids because the road junction is very busy the work can only be carried out on a Sunday.

The work is currently on hold until a date can be agreed between council and contractors.
The spokesman added: “We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to Mrs Solan and are trying to get this fault resolved as soon as possible.”